Hundreds of Roman coins, dating back at least 1,500 years, have been unearthed at the site of a former theatre in northern Italy. The coins were discovered in Como, on the banks of the famous Lake Como, approximately 50 kilometers north of Milan. They were found hidden inside a soapstone jar during an excavation of the historic Cressoni Theatre.
Engravings on the nearly 300 coins suggest they date back to at least 474 AD, and it is believed they could be worth millions of dollars.
Maria Grazia Facchinetti, an expert in rare coins, stated at a press conference that the coins were “buried in such a way that in case of danger they could be retrieved.” She added, “They were stacked in rolls similar to those seen in the bank today. All of this makes us think that the owner is not a private individual but rather a public bank or deposit.”
Dr. Facchinetti noted that the coins feature engravings of emperors Honorius, Valentinian III, Leon I, Antonio, and Libio Severo, indicating they do not date beyond 474 AD. Additionally, archaeologists uncovered a golden bar inside the jar.
Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Alberto Bonisoli, expressed his pride in the discovery. “We do not yet know in detail the historical and cultural significance of the find,” he said in a press release. “But that area is proving to be a real treasure for our archaeology.”
The Italian Government reported that the site served as a theatre from 1807 to 1997 and is near the Novum Comum area, where other significant Roman artifacts have been discovered.
Authorities have transported the coins to a restoration laboratory in Milan, where archaeologists, restorers, and rare coin experts will work on preserving and studying the treasure.
