Eight-year-old discovers ancient Roman coin in German sandbox
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Berlin: A young boy's innocent playtime led to the unearthing of an ancient Roman coin, shedding light on a historical mystery.
The eight-year-old, identified simply as Bjarne, stumbled upon the silver relic while playing with his sandbox in Germany. The intriguing discovery, made in August of 2022, was unveiled to the public during a press conference held on Friday.
What initially appeared as a small silver object in the hands of an 8-year-old, soon proved to be an invaluable artifact from the past. The coin, described as an ancient Roman denarius, dates back to the 2nd century. According to Bremen state archaeologist Uta Halle, its weight is less than an ounce, indicative of a time marked by economic inflation when coins were produced using notably reduced amounts of silver.
Adorned with intricate patterns along its edges and a central figure, this recently found coin is believed to have been minted during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Emperor Aurelius held dominion over the Roman Empire from A.D. 161 to A.D. 180. Curiously, the location where the coin was unearthed, situated within Germany, was not historically part of the Roman Empire's territory, making this discovery all the more intriguing. The journey that led the coin to Bremen remains unknown.
Historical accounts reveal previous instances of Roman coins being found during excavations in Bremerhaven and neighboring Lower Saxony. Scholars suggest that these regions may have hosted Germanic settlements during ancient times. The Roman coins likely found their way to these lands beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire, possibly serving as objects of trade or compensation for mercenary services. This theory has been put forth by the Austria Press Agency in a released statement.
This isn't the first time that such fascinating discoveries have come to light. In 2018, the residents of Khaprana village in Uttar Pradesh, India, stumbled upon copper coins believed to be 1,800 years old while excavating a hillock.