25 July 2016

An appeal has been launched to save the largest Roman hoard of its type ever discovered in the north of England.
The Hoard of more than 1,800 Roman coins was discovered by a metal detectorist near the village of Wold Newton, East Yorkshire, in 2014.

The hoard dates to 307AD, a period of great uncertainty in the Roman Empire and Yorkshire. It features coins depicting Constantius and also the first coins to proclaim his son, Constantine, Augustus after he was made emperor in York.

The Yorkshire Museum, York, now have four months to raise £44,200 to keep the hoard in Yorkshire and in public collections.

The appeal is launched on July 25 – 1,710 years since the death of Constantius in York and his dying wish that Constantine should be his successor.

Andrew Woods, curator of numismatics at the Yorkshire Museum, said:

“This is an absolutely stunning find with a strong connection to one of the most significant periods in York’s Roman history. No hoard of this size from this period has ever been discovered in the north of England before.

“It contains coins from the time of Constantius who died in the city and then the first to feature Constantine, rising to power. This was a pivotal moment in York’s history but also the history of the western world. It was also a time of great uncertainty in the empire, as different Roman powers looked to challenge Constantine’s claim as emperor.

“We hope to now save the hoard to make sure it stays in Yorkshire for the public to enjoy but also so we can learn more about this fascinating period as well as why it was buried and to whom it might have belonged.”

Richard Abdy, Curator of Roman Coins at the British Museum, said:

“The Wold Newton hoard represents an evocative illustration of the power politics at the time York was an imperial capital of the Roman World. The coins illustrate the several co-emperors all jockeying for ultimate power: York’s local team consisted of father and son Constantius I and Constantine I (the Great).

“Constantius was based in the city whilst dealing with the unruly Picts north of Hadrian’s Wall, whereupon his death Constantine was declared emperor by the army of Britain; AD 306, a turning point in world history as Constantine was to become the first Christian emperor.”

A major part of the hoard along with the ceramic vessel is on public display at the Yorkshire Museum from July 16 to October 9. The museum has until October to raise the £44,200 needed to keep the hoard in public collections.

 

How to Donate

To make a donation via Paypal please click here and send your payment to accounts@ymt.org.uk.

You can also make a donation by cash or cheque in person at the Yorkshire Museum. Cheques can also be posted to the following address: Accounts Department, York Museums Trust, St Mary’s Lodge, Marygate, York, YO30 7DR. Please make your cheque payable to ‘York Museums Trust’.

Every contribution large or small is valued – thank you.

 

The Hoard

The hoard contains 1,857 Roman copper coins in a ceramic vessel. The coins, known as nummi, are around 3cm in size and represent the typical currency of the fourth century. It features coins depicting a number of Roman emperors including Constantius and Constantine.

At the time of burial the hoard was worth the equivalent of a legionary’s annual salary, three year’s salary for a carpenter or six years for a farm labourer. It could buy 700 chickens, 2,000 of the finest fish or 11,000 pints of beer.
It is the largest hoard found from the period in the north of England and the second largest ever found in the country; the largest, the Fyfield Hoard was found in 1944 and is now at the Ashmoleon in Oxford.

 

Discovery

The hoard was found by detectorist David Blakey in 2014. He filmed its discovery and immediately reported it rather than emptying it out which has allowed archaeologists the rare opportunity to excavate it in different layers to see how coins were added to the vessel. Insect remains attached to some of the coins also offer another way of analysing the contents. All this means there is huge potential for getting a greater understanding of the period and why it was buried.