Detectorist Finds Germany's Largest Hadrian-Era Silver Hoard

Overview

• After his metal detector kept signalling in a field near Wesseling, amateur detectorist Oliver Riedl alerted authorities and specialists recovered 934 Roman silver denarii Tuesday.
• LVR archaeologists date the buried deposit to the second quarter of the second century A.D. and identify it as the largest Hadrian-era coin hoard found in Germany.
• The collection weighs 3.1 kilograms and most coins date to the Flavian emperors, with the oldest single coin struck in 148 B.C.
• Archaeologists say the hoard was likely deliberately hidden to safeguard wealth, but the original owner is unknown and state archaeologist Erich Classen suggested the owner may have died before recovery.
• The find, now conserved and on public display, gives new insight into Roman-era money and local history and gains added context from records showing a legionary earned about 300 denarii a year.