FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => History and Archeology => Topic started by: Joe Sermarini on March 21, 2020, 12:02:29 pm

Title: Construction workers in Spain unearth 1,300 pound trove of ancient Roman coins
Post by: Joe Sermarini on March 21, 2020, 12:02:29 pm
Construction workers in Spain unearth 1,300 pound trove of ancient Roman coins.

https://www.washingtonpost.com (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/29/construction-workers-in-spain-unearth-huge-trove-of-ancient-roman-coins/)
Title: Re: Construction workers in Spain unearth 1,300 pound trove of ancient Roman coins
Post by: SC on March 21, 2020, 12:19:10 pm
Found in 2016, but a very interesting find. 

If the coins really weighed 1300 lbs in Tetrarchic folles it was a very high value hoard.

Some rough calculations: 1300 lbs = 590 kg = 59,000 folles (at 10g/follis) = 1,475,000 denares communes (at 25 dc/follis, assuming we are after 301 AD, half that if before).

One and half million dc was a huge amount of money and would make one think of a military pay chest if it wasn't found in an area (Seville, Spain) with no real military presence at this time.  There was only one legion in Spain at this time (VII Gemina) but it was way up north at Leon.

SC




Title: Re: Construction workers in Spain unearth 1,300 pound trove of ancient Roman coins
Post by: Dominic T on March 21, 2020, 12:31:26 pm
It's gonna take a lot of place in the basement of a museum!
DT