Ever since humans minted coins and created beautiful jewelry and other stunning collectibles, an equal number of people have been right behind them in search of these valuable finds. Here are 10 extraordinary discoveries made in 2023 that prove that searching for hidden treasures never gets old.

1. A large collection of coins in Japan

During a factory construction project north of Tokyo, workers were shocked to discover a cache of nearly 100,000 coins buried in the area. The coin collection was divided into 1,060 bundles and dated back to B.C. It was dated between 175 BC. and 1265 AD. The first is coming Chinese and contains the Chinese inscription “Banliang”, meaning “half an ounce”. So far, researchers have examined approximately 334 coins, and one can only guess what other treasures will be discovered.

2. An underwater temple full of sunken treasures in Egypt

Underwater archaeologists exploring a canal on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast have discovered a partially ruined underwater temple filled with treasures. Further investigation of the temple built for the ancient Egyptian god Amun, which collapsed in the mid-2nd century BC, revealed numerous “treasures and mysteries”, including silver ritual tools, gold jewelry and alabaster vessels.

3. “Lost” rainbow bowl carved by Celts in Germany

A 2000-year-old rainbow cup carved by the Celts was found on a river bank in Germany. The bowl-shaped gold coin features a rare design element: a four-pointed star surrounded by arches. The find is one of three known rainbow cups containing this motif. Rainbow Cups take their name from the Celtic legend that they are drops of gold falling to Earth at the end of the rainbow.

4. Civil War coins buried in cornfield in Kentucky

A man working in a cornfield in Kentucky found a bounty worth 700 Civil War coins. Dubbed the “Great Kentucky Hoard,” the cache contained hundreds of gold coins minted between 1840 and 1863, as well as several silver coins. Researchers believe the collection was buried before the Confederate raid in the summer of 1863.

5. “Remarkable” gold hair ring found in a Bronze Age grave in Wales

The ‘shining ring of golden hair’ was part of a Bronze Age grave discovered along a road in Wales. During excavations at the burial site, archaeologists also found a wooden comb, believed to be the oldest of its kind ever found in Britain. The researchers concluded that both objects were likely buried next to the 3,000-year-old cremated remains of a person of high social status.

6. Bronze Age swords and thousands of medieval coins in Germany

A group of volunteer conservationists found nearly 8,000 medieval coins and seven Bronze Age swords while working at three separate sites in Germany. Archaeologists believe the 3,000-year-old weapon may have been placed there as part of a sacrificial ritual. The coins shared between the two places were part of the largest Slavic coin hoard of the 11th century.

7. An Iron Age glass workshop filled with Celtic coins in the Czech Republic

Archaeologists in the Czech Republic have discovered the oldest known glass workshop north of the Alps and believe it may have been used for ritual purposes. The 2,300-year-old workshop contained a range of ready-made and crafted glass and amber objects, including beads and bracelets, as well as 2,000 gold and silver coins minted by the Celts. They also found a square structure similar to other ancient buildings used for rituals in Europe.

8. Gold necklaces discovered as a result of a landslide in Spain

A landslide in northern Spain has uncovered two “richly decorated” gold necklaces buried about 2,500 years ago. The first of the C-shaped necklaces, known as Tork, was discovered by a public official, while the second was found by a metal detector. Based on the style and technique of making the jewelry, archaeologists concluded that the necklaces were made around 500 BC, during the Iron Age in Iberia, and were likely worn by members of the upper class.

9. Coins found in an ancient Buddhist temple in Pakistan

Archaeologists in Pakistan have found a collection of 2,000-year-old bronze coins among the ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple known as a stupa. The coins and temple are associated with the Kushan Empire, a predominantly Buddhist state that ruled the region from the 2nd century BC to the 3rd century AD. Corrosion caused the coins to fuse into a single green-colored piece weighing approximately 12 pounds. (5.5 kilograms).

10. Copper coins hidden in a clay jar in Poland

A metal detector searching for tractor parts in a farmer’s field in Poland was surprised to find a treasure trove of 1,000 copper coins buried beneath the ground. Later excavations unearthed a broken clay “siwak”, a locally made jug with a single handle and narrow neck, filled with coins minted in Warsaw in the 17th century. However, experts say that even when the coins were in circulation, they were not very valuable and the entire hoard at that time was enough to buy “about two pairs of shoes”.