November 10, 2011 – Mr N. Davies had started only recently practicing his new hobby, striving around with his metal detector – unaware of the fact that he had no permission to detect on the land where he found a clay pot full of coins. He informed the local Find Liaison Officer of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) who initiated the necessary proceeding.
An excavation was conducted and Mr John Ellery, HM Coroner for North Shropshire, even declared the finding treasure. Emma-Kate Lanyon, Curator for Shropshire Museums stated: “This is a very exciting find and probably the largest coin hoard, at least in modern times, to be recovered from the County. The Treasure Act and Portable Antiquities Scheme is now over 14 years old and has vastly increased our understanding of Shropshire’s past by bringing finds like this to the attention of archaeologists”.
Now specialists of the British Museum are studying the coins and extracted some interesting information. Sealed with a large stone the pot contained largely nummi made of bronze and small traces of silver, that were placed in two phases. The coins at the top date from 333-335 AD while those in the lower part were struck at least ten years earlier. In the lower phase fragments of cloth have also been found. This indicates that the finding may have been a ritual offering. But who it offered we do not know. Not yet.
To read more about the Shropshire hoard, please click here and here.