Construction workers discover rare Roman treasure in UK

Construction workers in England, UK, have found ancient Roman coins made from gold and silver. 

Builders in Worcestershire, England, have uncovered an extraordinary treasure: a hoard of 1,368 ancient Roman coins made from gold and silver. Dating back to the reign of Emperor Nero (AD 54–68), this discovery is the largest collection of coins from his era ever found, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

The hoard was discovered in the Leigh and Bransford area, west of Worcester, and is valued at over $125,000 (£100,000). Experts from Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums have called it one of the most significant archaeological finds in the county in a century. The majority of the coins are silver denarii, minted in Rome during the Roman Republic as early as 157 BC and continuing through to Nero's rule. Among the coins is a rare gold Iron Age stater minted by the Dobunni, a local British tribe, between AD 20 and 45. The Dobunni inhabited what is now Worcestershire and the surrounding regions.

Experts believe the gold and silver coins were likely the savings of a wealthy local farmer, possibly a supplier of grain and livestock to the Roman army. The large quantity of coins suggests a substantial fortune for the time. They were found in a pottery vessel, which is thought to have been made at a kiln near the base of the Malvern Hills.

Dr. Murray Andrews, a lecturer in British archaeology at University College London, described the discovery as "remarkable." He said, “It’s the most miraculous thing I’ve seen over the last 100 years. It tells us about what was happening here 2,000 years ago, when the Malvern Hills were maybe the boundary of the Roman Empire.” 

The hoard, which was found in late 2023, was officially declared a treasure by a Worcestershire coroner in June 2024. Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums has launched a fundraising campaign to purchase the coins for public display. They aim to raise £6,000 ($7,500), with additional costs to be covered by grants. If the funds are not raised, the hoard may be returned to the finders or landowners, possibly preventing it from being seen by the public.

Karen May, chair of Worcestershire County Council’s joint museums committee, referred to the discovery as “a vital part of local history.” She added, “What a fantastic find and so important for anyone wishing to understand more about the county’s heritage.”

This hoard marks the third significant discovery of its kind in the area in the last 25 years. In 1999, 434 silver coins and 38 pottery fragments were found near Chaddesley Corbett. In 2011, two detectorists from Redditch discovered a clay pot containing 3,784 coins on Bredon Hill. The new find provides another fascinating link to Worcestershire’s rich Roman past, offering modern residents a glimpse into their regional history.

By Naila Huseynova