A hoard of 934 Roman silver coins found in a field near Wesseling, south of Cologne, is the largest from the reign of Emperor Hadrian ever found on German soil, Euronews reports.
An amateur detectorist came across the 3.1kg cache in autumn 2025. X-rays showed the coins had been packed in a ceramic pot cushioned with straw. The oldest date back to 148 BC and the newest to around AD 125, showing just how long old coins stayed in everyday use. Archaeologists think the savings, worth about six years of a legionary’s spare income, were buried for safekeeping by someone who never returned for them.
Only four larger hoards from this period are known anywhere in the world. The coins belong to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the finder receives a reward, and the hoard is now on display in Bonn ahead of a permanent exhibition at the LVR-LandesMuseum in March 2027.
Source: Euronews