Roman Coins in Japan In 2013, a discovery was made that still baffles archaeologists. Katsuren Castle in Okinawa Island, Japan, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was built around the 12th century. During a dig, archaeologists discovered four copper coins that, at first, they took for a hoax. One of the coins bears the image of the Roman Emperor Constantine I and has since been dated to 300 to 400 AD. Another shows a helmeted soldier wielding a shield in one hand and stabbing an enemy with a spear in the other. Since that initial find, excavation has yielded another six coins, which may date back to the Ottoman Empire in the late 17th century. The find baffles archaeologists because of the lack of direct links to Europe. History tells us that the castle had commercial relationships with China and other Asian countries, so it’s possible the ancient Roman coins found their way to Katsuren through that route although it would be pretty surprising!
The Seaton Down Hoard In 2014, an amateur metal detectorist unearthed one of the largest hoards of Roman coins ever found in Britain. Laurence Egerton discovered 22,000 copper-alloy coins in Seaton, East Devon, near a field where a Roman villa had been excavated. Egerton took up metal detecting seven years prior to his find and the best he ever found were some old shotgun cartridges. At first, he only found two small coins on top of the ground. His metal detector indicated iron but Egerton said his instincts told him there might be something more. After digging, he came upon two iron ingots but the shovel full underneath them didn’t contain dirt but coins. Now called the Seaton Down Hoard, experts believe a soldier or private individual buried them for safekeeping. For whatever reason, they never returned to collect the coins. The coins would have made up a few month’s wages for a soldier. Today, though, they are worth tens of thousands of dollars. Egerton was so concerned about theft that for three days, after archaeologists went home for the night, he camped out in his car to protect the dig site. The Roman coins date back to 4th century and contain the representation of Emperor Constantine, the members of his family, his predecessors, and successors.
Swiss Cherry Orchard Find In 2015, a stash of more than 4,000 bronze and silver coins is believed to have been buried some 1,700 years ago in what is today a cherry orchard in Aargau, Switzerland. Weighing around 15kg (33lb), the local farmer discovered the coins after spotting something shiny in a molehill. Since a Roman settlement was discovered in the nearby town of Frick, just a few months before, the farmer suspected the coins might be of Roman origin and contacted the regional archaeological service. After months of excavation, 4,166 coins were found in excellent condition. The regional archaeological service called the coin trove one of the biggest such finds in Swiss history.
