THE COMO, ITALY LATE ROMAN COIN HOARD

Archaeologists are studying a valuable trove of old Roman coins found on the site of a former theater in northern Italy.

The coins, at least 300 of them, date back to the late Roman imperial era and were found in a soapstone jar unearthed in the basement of the Cressoni Theater in Como, north of Milan.

We do not yet know in detail the historical and cultural significance of the find, said Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli in a press release. But that area is proving to be a real treasure for our archeology. A discovery that fills me with pride.

Whoever placed the jar in that place buried it in such a way that in case of danger they could go and retrieve it, said Maria Grazia Facchinetti, a numismatist – or expert in rare coins – at a Monday press conference.

Archaeologists also uncovered a golden bar inside the jar.

The coins were discovered last week, according to Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, and were transferred to the Mibac restoration laboratory in Milan where archaeologists and restorers are examining them.

To read the complete article, see:
Hundreds of Roman gold coins found in basement of old theater (https://www.cnn.com/style/article/roman-gold-coins-italy-cressoni-theater-trnd/index.html)

The hoard of gold coins from the last days of the Western Roman Empire that was discovered under an old theater in Como in 2018 has proven even more exceptional than it seemed at first glance. And that's saying a lot, because from the lidded soapstone pot to the tidy stacks of mint-condition 5th century gold coins inside of it, this find was immediately recognized as one of unprecedented historical significance.

Well, the painstaking process of removing one coin at a time from its tight, tidy stacks is now complete, and the final tally of gold coins is 1,000. Exactly 1,000. Someone had to have counted this out for professional purposes, like an accountant, government administrator or imperial goldsmith. The vast majority of the coins — 639 of them — were struck by mint in Mediolanum (modern-day Milan) which was then the capital of the Western Empire. They were minted between 395 and 472 A.D. and bear representations of eight emperors and four empresses. The fall of the Western Roman Empire is traditionally dated to the deposition of Emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 A.D., and 744 of the coins were minted after 455, so literally the last two decades of the empire.

To read the complete article, see:
Como Treasure: 1,000 gold coins in a cooking pot (https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/64122)

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