THE BUNNIK ROMAN COIN HOARD

 

Two metal detectorists uncovered a Roman treasure hoard containing hundreds of ancient coins in a meadow near Bunnik, a town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. The cache dates to the years around the Roman invasion of Britain under Emperor Claudius.

The find is remarkable because it blends Roman and British money in one stash. It also links a quiet Dutch field to events that reshaped life on both sides of the North Sea.

The hoard is the first mixed Roman and British coin find recorded on the European mainland, and it is the largest Roman coin hoard found in Utrecht, according to a university-curated database.

Lead archaeologist Tessa de Groot of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) has guided fieldwork that explores why the coins were buried and who might have placed them there. Her team studied soils, vegetation clues, and the ancient landscape.

The hoard's makeup points to soldiers moving between Britain and the Rhine frontier. It connects local history to a campaign that changed the map of northwestern Europe.

The total value equaled nearly eleven years of a typical Roman soldier's pay, which hints at an owner with rank or a group pool of savings.

The mix includes 44 British gold staters, 72 Roman gold aurei, and 288 Roman silver denarii, with minting dates from about 200 BC to AD 47, according to an initial analysis.

No jar fragments or wood survived. The evidence points to a cloth or leather pouch that rotted away. The coins probably sat in a shallow scoop in an open, boggy place.

Why hide so much value there? One idea is military pay saved for later by an officer. Another is a ritual offering after a safe return from Britain.

A donativum was a money gift sometimes given to soldiers after a campaign. This could explain the British staters. The Roman gold and silver likely came from regular pay.

To read the complete articles, see:
Friends with metal detectors discover a Roman treasure hoard lost for over 2,000 years (https://www.earth.com/news/friends-with-metal-detectors-discover-roman-treasure-hoard-lost-for-over-2000-years/)
The Bunnik Hoard 2023 Outline and Initial Analysis of the Roman Coin Hoard Bunnik (Utrecht, The Netherlands) (https://www.rmo.nl/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ARTIKEL-The-Bunnik-Hoard.pdf)

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