Treasure in the sandbox

The boy, identified by the source as Bjarne, was overjoyed at such an unexpected treasure and rushed home to show the find to his family in Bremen, a city in northern Germany. The boy’s parents contacted the authorities and informed the archaeologists. The second confirmed in the summer of 2022: The coin is a Roman dinar minted during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who held the throne from AD 161 to 180.. It is unclear why this was reported a year later, on August 11, 2023.

That’s pretty strong, according to state archaeologist Uta Halle. Worn 0.08-ounce (2.4-gram) coin minted during the so-called “coin deterioration period”When the Roman Empire reduced the silver content of its currency as a direct result of inflation.

Halle describes the find as “something very special” because it is one of the few denarius found in Bremen. Although this region of Germany was never under Roman rule, it was inhabited by the Hautsi, an ancient Germanic tribe that traded frequently with the ancient Romans. This might explain how the coin was buried in German soil.

Since such finds belong to the government, Bjarne will not be able to keep the money to himself.According to the Law on the Protection of Monuments of Bremen. But state archaeologists have praised him for his “carefulness and curiosity,” and plans to give him two books on archeology as prizes.

Denarius will most likely find a new home at the Focke Museum in Bremen.