Amateur archaeologist unearths large Roman coin hoard in Germany
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An amateur archaeologist discovered 934 Roman silver coins buried in a field near Cologne, Germany.
Oliver Rindle found the first coins near the town of Wesel, south of Cologne, and realised he had stumbled upon a larger find. He then contacted archaeological authorities. Experts excavated the site and recovered the coins, which the Rhineland Office for Preservation of Archaeological Monuments (LVR) identified as the largest hoard of coins from the time of Emperor Hadrian ever found in Germany.
The coins, weighing a total of 3.1 kilograms, likely date to the second quarter of the 2nd century AD. Archaeologists believe someone intentionally buried the coins for safekeeping, possibly to protect their wealth. However, the reason the treasure was never retrieved remains unknown. Experts suggest the owner may have died before they could return or reveal the hiding place to another person. The coins are now on display at the LVR-LandesMuseum in Bonn.
Erich Klassen, head of the LVR, stated that while they can only speculate about the owner’s motives, it is probable they sought to protect their money. Rindle himself said he knew there was more to find when his metal detector continued to signal even after he had already recovered several coins.
