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Author Topic: Anybody digg ancient coins?  (Read 85251 times)

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Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #50 on: October 27, 2006, 06:50:46 pm »
If it was used for sharpening knives I'd expect to see flats worn on it. A weight for a fishing net might b more like it.
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Offline Roma_Orbis

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #51 on: October 27, 2006, 07:05:20 pm »
no, rather weight for a weaver.

Jérôme

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #52 on: November 02, 2006, 01:01:29 pm »
Finaly i dugg one silver medieval Serbian coin.Weight is 0,75 gr.

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #53 on: November 04, 2006, 10:22:50 am »
Nobody have comment for that nice Serbian coin?
Ok,here is one medieval Hungarian.

Offline Goodies

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #54 on: November 06, 2006, 04:09:42 am »
Hi,

The middle size one on the right with the hole in it we call "spinsteen" in Dutch, that is "spinning stone". They were used to enlarge the weight of the spinning coil while the wool was spun (difficult to explain)

The small ones could be that as well, but may also be fishing weights.

These are very common metal detector finds in The Netherlands as well. Commonly dated 16th-18th century.



 :)
Lx

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #55 on: November 14, 2006, 01:04:06 pm »
Hello again
I hope weather will be nice like today,untill spring.I hunt about 4 hours on one "medieval filed".I dugg one arrow point-probably Roman and 12 coins,and i think 4 will be silver after cleaning (i will post clean coins tomorow).They are very very tiny.One of them is Obol (medieval Hungarian) weight of this coin is 0,20 gr and diametar is 9,2 mm.
It is very hard to detect coin like this in the soil,but i was lucky today.

Offline Jeremy W

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #56 on: November 14, 2006, 01:13:00 pm »
I often wonder how in the world people find the tiny Greek fractions.  I have some  tiny ones in my collection.

cfroehlich7584

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #57 on: November 14, 2006, 03:53:02 pm »
Wow...

I realize that Europe has a lot of history but it just blows my mind how common these treasures seem to be.  As much as I love my country (America), I am really jealous that I do not have the opportunity to find Roman and Medieval artifacts in my countryside.  Keep searching and keep posting, these are fascinating!  :)

basemetal

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #58 on: November 15, 2006, 12:25:37 am »
Wow Marcus! That spearpoint is so fine. I see them going every day for fairly large prices!
Lucky you!

cfroehlich7584

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #59 on: November 15, 2006, 06:34:57 am »
I have a bit of a dumb question...(maybe not I really don't know)

How is it that there are so many coins just buried in the ground?  Did people just lose or drop them over the years?  I would think people would hold on to their money instead of throwing it in a field.

Retrospectator

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #60 on: November 15, 2006, 07:26:49 am »
I have a bit of a dumb question...(maybe not I really don't know)

How is it that there are so many coins just buried in the ground?  Did people just lose or drop them over the years?  I would think people would hold on to their money instead of throwing it in a field.

If we're not talking about the simple burying of coin hoards (ie people hiding their savings in times of trouble) then the answer to your question may be provided by knowing what the land use of a particular location was in ancient times, which can be unravelled through archaeological excavation. For example, it's possible that alot of coins may be found at a site that may once have been a sacred spring or pool where one would expect to also find other votive objects.

basemetal

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #61 on: November 15, 2006, 10:30:14 pm »
Today, the idea burying of coins is akin to the practice of that excentric Aunt some of may have who stuffed money in her mattress because she "didn't trust banks".
We simply can't (I also include myself) appreciate the urge to hide wealth that existed in ancient times.
Actual coins amassed represented a one time chance and an irreplaceable wealth that we have grown ignorant of. 
The middle class merchant, who didn't have a savings account, promissory notes, paper cash, or any recourse to replace the loss of hard coin cash. Keep it on you?  To large to bulky, and to conspicuous.
Leave it at the villa?  A runaway slave or an avaricious relative that might blame that same slave was always a threat.  Hire someone to guard it?  Well....trust is a relative thing. "I'll give you 5 denari a week to guard my 300 denari".  Hmmm....
Nope.  Bury it.  And don't leave a large stone, or wooden stake to mark it.  And don't bury it 2 feet east of the big pole at the corner of the pigsty.
No. Bury it out in the woods, a field or similar. Oh, and do it at night perhaps.  Well a little tiny light or none at all. In ancient times activity ceased at sunset in a way we don't appreciate today. The head of the household going out after sunset might be unusual enough. Let's follow him and see what he's up to.
So, out in the woods or field you are.  Not much light. Not to worry.  You know exactly where you are and you can for sure find it again.  Dig a hole, put in not your working capital, but your savings.
Go back to the villa have some wine and a bath, and rest secure in the knowledge that that no-good son-in-law knows not where your treasure is. And he may not.
But, come next spring, after the rains, the spring growth, and a bit of land cultivation and you are in for a surprise.
I base this on a personal experiment.  A year and a half ago, I buried a 1905 nickel not ten feet from my back steps.  I let a season pass then went to dig it up. I had written down the paces, direction, and depth because at the time, I was sure that anyone could find what they buried if only they just marked in in their minds, so to speak. Be aware that this was an experiment in minature. Only one coin. But it was very close to my back steps. I'm glad I didn't bury 15 at the end of the property 1/2 acre away.   The coin is still there.  Paces vary and even in a yard the lay of the land changes. I even went modern and used a metal detector. I found  nails, pieces of wire. an Ipana toothpaste tin of the late 1950's,  a rusty pocket knife, but not the nickel. And I didn't have to factor in a sudden illness, the barbarian hordes overrunning me, me not telling anyone else about my midnight ramble,  and me deciding that that no good son-in-law had found it and so giving up
To my mind, I'm actually amazed that there aren't more hoards of ancient coins found.

Retrospectator

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #62 on: November 16, 2006, 04:51:45 am »
Quote
To my mind, I'm actually amazed that there aren't more hoards of ancient coins found.

To support that, I'm not sure that if I was living in those circumstances with wealth to hide, that I would keep all my eggs in one basket so to speak. So I would have been tempted to make the post-sunset mission a few times to various places.

Anyway, here's news about another unearthed hoard:
http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061113/ap_on_sc/netherlands_roman_coins_1

Offline *Alex

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #63 on: November 16, 2006, 09:23:33 pm »
Quote from: Verulamium on November 15, 2006, 07:26:49 am
For example, it's possible that alot of coins may be found at a site that may once have been a sacred spring or pool where one would expect to also find other votive objects.

........ or the site of a market.

Alex.

Offline Goodies

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #64 on: November 17, 2006, 12:12:37 am »
Quote from: Verulamium on November 16, 2006, 04:51:45 am
Quote
To my mind, I'm actually amazed that there aren't more hoards of ancient coins found.

To support that, I'm not sure that if I was living in those circumstances with wealth to hide, that I would keep all my eggs in one basket so to speak. So I would have been tempted to make the post-sunset mission a few times to various places.

Anyway, here's news about another unearthed hoard:
http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061113/ap_on_sc/netherlands_roman_coins_1

Oh yes the find at Cuijk, that is in the vicinity of where I live, that is Nijmegen.

The city of Nijmegen was once the main city of the Bataves. In 69, the Batavian Rebellion made an end to Oppium Batavorum, because Julius Civilis, the leader of the Bataves, chose to burn it down before he retreated to the North.

In these areas, a museum full of coins was found in the early twentieth century.. it is all under the city now. The area is off-limits for metal detector hobbyists  ;)



Later, Trajan founded Ulpia Noviomagum, the civilian settlement down the river (spot 4 on above map)

Cuijk, the location of this hoard, was named Ceuclum in Roman times. Although Cuijk is nowadays much smaller than Nijmegen, in later Roman times, e.g. Severan times, the settlement of Ceuclum was larger and more important than Ulpia Noviomagum. It may be indicative that some coins of the hoard are Elagabalus denarii.

See below an in-situ picture of the pot with the hoard in it.

 ;)
Lx

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #65 on: November 17, 2006, 01:43:08 pm »
I want to show you famous Avar belt from 6-th century.It was found in 1992 year near Sirmium.Estimate 2 500 000 euros.
Unfortunately i did not find it,but i know guy who did.He talk to much about it and brag,and finaly police knock on his door.Belt is in our Museum now and soon will be exposed in public.Can wait to see it.
Regards

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #66 on: November 20, 2006, 04:46:39 pm »
Hello
No comment for this beautiful belt.
I guess you like my finds more.
Here is one coin from my fellow citizen-Roman Emperor Gratian.AE 2 coin.
av.DN GRATIANUS PF AVG
rev.REPARATIO REI PUB
Siscia mint
6,15 gr.Diametar is 24 mm.

Offline Jeremy W

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #67 on: November 20, 2006, 05:01:35 pm »
The belt is amazing.  I can only speak for myself, but I only watch this thread to see what interesting things you are pulling out of the ground and I stress wonderful.

Jeremy

Offline awl

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #68 on: November 20, 2006, 09:37:08 pm »
i watch it too but i dont have the time to reply always.

Offline Pscipio

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #69 on: November 21, 2006, 04:45:52 am »
The head of the woman is not radiate but turreted, which shows that she's the personification of a city, a city goddess. Here she probably stands for cities in general.

Lars
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Offline awl

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #70 on: December 03, 2006, 12:13:43 am »
Do you find the coins in small hoards or scattered?

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #71 on: February 04, 2007, 04:54:22 pm »
Hi all  :)
Long time no see  ???
About 150 Roman coins in january.Still wait to be cleaned.Here is one coin from todays hunt.
Clavdivs quadrans without portrait:
ob.TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG    (modius)
rev.PON M TR P IMP COS DES
weight 2.90 gr
diametar 18 mm
Regards

Marcus Aurelius

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #72 on: February 15, 2007, 11:36:43 am »
I dugg one denar today,but it is reduced so i cant tell who is it.Any guess?

Offline Jeremy W

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #73 on: February 15, 2007, 11:39:30 am »
My guess is S. Severus with at Fortuna reverse

Jeremy

hooverman

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Re: Anybody digg ancient coins?
« Reply #74 on: February 16, 2007, 03:51:50 pm »
Just going to post some from the last 2 weeks, some of them are not ancient but Romans are the majority.
I've just got a Minelab Explorer II and this is by far the best machine that I've had. My first treasure case back in 1996 was a purse loss of coins of Elizabeth I, mostly sixpences. I've been back to the site every year since hoping that the turn of the plough would bring some more up but with no luck until I used the Explorer last weekend and got 2.
The other highlight of the week was an Anglo Saxon sceat of Eadbehrt.

 

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