Lawrence Egerton, a 51-year-old construction worker from the United Kingdom who is semi-retired, enjoys pursuing a hobby of metal prospecting in his free time. While not his primary occupation, he has dedicated many years to this pastime, often unearthing little more than rusty scraps or the occasional valuable coin.
In November 2013, his luck changed dramatically when he stumbled upon a remarkable discovery: a hoard of over 22,000 Roman coins. Lawrence was scanning a field in Seaton, located on the southern coast of Britain, with his metal detector when it signaled a potential find. He began digging, and to his astonishment, coins started pouring out of the ground. This treasure trove of ancient Roman coins was vast and impressive, prompting Lawrence to promptly report his find to Bill Horner, an archaeologist with Devon County Council. Professional archaeologists familiar with the area, having excavated Roman monuments nearby, were dispatched to the site.
The excavation of the Seaton Down hoard spanned three days and drew considerable attention from the public during daylight hours. However, there was no protection for the site overnight. Determined to safeguard the substantial find, Lawrence decided to park his car next to it and spend the nights there, even though the car was barely spacious enough to accommodate his tall frame. The three cold nights were a challenging but necessary endeavor to prevent potential theft.
After the completion of the excavation, experts meticulously examined the coins. Due to the sheer size of the hoard, it took them ten months to clean and catalog the items, with ongoing work still pending. Experienced relic custodians utilized simple tools to clean each coin individually, as chemical methods risked damaging these historically significant artifacts.
In total, archaeologists unearthed 22,888 coins from the Seaton Down hoard, along with three ingots weighing approximately 150 pounds. These coins were remarkably well-preserved, with the images of rulers and members of the imperial family clearly visible. The coins originated from 17 separate mints across various European locations and were minted between 260 and 348 AD. Some coins even date back to 332 AD, the year when the eastern capital, Constantinople, was founded.
This hoard was designated as a treasure trove due to its historical significance. While these coins were not considered highly valuable during their circulation, they likely represented the savings of a Roman soldier or merchant. These coins are known as "nummus," used for everyday transactions. After nearly 1,700 years of being buried, their combined value now exceeds $100,000. This sum will be divided between Mr. Egerton, as the finder, and the landowner on whose property the discovery was made.
For those interested in viewing these remarkable coins, they are on display at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, located a short distance from where the treasure was initially uncovered. The local museum acquired this collection through a fundraising campaign, as their budget was limited for such a significant purchase.
