My Treasure Metal Detector

Chef Finds Roman Coins In Field

                                                                     Did You See This? 

A total of 52,500 bronze and silver coins dating from the 3rd century AD were found by a hobby metal detectorist. The discovery was made in April by a 63 year old UK hospital chef by the name of Dave Crisp using his metal detector. The coins were found in a large, well preserved pot around 18 inches across – a type of jar normally used for storing food.

                                              Pot of Gold
Initially, Mr Crisp unearthed 21 coins in the field near Frome in Somerset. But when he came across the top of a pot, he began to realise the significance of his find. He added: ‘I have made many finds over the years, but this is my first major coin hoard.’ The whole stash weighs about 350 pounds.

                                          Can You Say Piggy Bank
How they got into the field remains a mystery, but archaeologists believe they must represent the life savings of an entire community – possibly a votive offering to the gods. The pot was buried in the ground, then the coins were added over the years like a big piggy bank. A Roman road runs nearby, but no trace of a villa, settlement or cemetery has been found.

                                         What Could You Do With 5 Milllion    
The hoard, which was valued at 3.3 million pounds ($5 million), includes hundreds of coins bearing the image of Marcus Aurelius Carausius, who seized power in Britain and northern France in the late third century and proclaimed himself emperor. Carausius was a Roman naval officer who seized power in 286 AD. and ruled until he was assassinated in 293 AD.

Tags: dave crisp, Metal Detecting, roman coins