Largest coin hoard from reign of Nero found in Worcestershire

A hoard of 1,368 Roman and Iron Age silver coins dating to the reign of Nero has been discovered in Worcestershire, western England. Dubbed the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard because of it was buried just a dozen or so years after the Roman conquest of Britain, it is the largest hoard from the reign of Nero ever discovered in the entire territory of the Roman Empire. It’s one of the most important archaeological finds made in Worcestershire, which has few notable Roman archaeological remains and was still the borderland between areas controlled by Rome and ones controlled by Iron Age Britons when the hoard was buried.

The hoard was discovered late last year by builders in the Leigh and Bransford area of Worcestershire. The coins were placed in a ceramic pot that was likely made in one of several pottery kilns in operation at the foot of the Malvern Hills. Most of the coins are silver denarii minted in Rome, the earliest dating to 157 B.C., the most recent to 55 A.D. There is one solitary gold coin, a stater minted for the local Dobunni tribe who lived in Worcestershire between 20 and 45 A.D. The most recent coins are in near-mint condition, indicating they cannot have been in circulation long, so the hoard was likely buried in 55 A.D. or shortly thereafter.

In the late 50s A.D., Nero appointed governors Quintus Veranius and Gaius Suetonius Paulinus who aggressively pursued the conquest of Wales. Worcestershire was in the thick of the action.

Dr Murray Andrews, Lecturer in British Archaeology, UCL Institute of Archaeology says:

“This extraordinary new find is one of the largest early Roman hoards ever found in Britain. It gives us a glimpse of a brief moment in time 2,000 years ago, when the frontiers of the Roman Empire ran from North Africa and the Near East to the Malvern Hills and the River Severn.

Our initial research suggests that the hoard relates to military expenditure – perhaps official payments to a wealthy local farmer or merchant, who was supplying grain and livestock to the Roman fort at Worcester. It was buried at a time of unrest in the Welsh Borders, when local groups like the Silures fought back against the advancing Roman army, so it’s possible that the original owner was trying to protect their money from the threat of conflict and border raids.

The hoard unlocks an important window on the history and archaeology of Roman Britain, and further study will help us understand more about how and why these coins came to be buried where and when they were. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime find, and a real Worcestershire treasure.”

It was declared official Treasure by the Coroner for Worcestershire in June 2024 and a valuation committee assessed its fair market value as £100,000. Of course Museums Worcestershire is most extremely keen to acquire the hoard for permanent exhibition. In order to apply for grants and funding for the whole sum, they have to show local interest is high. Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums charity has launched a fundraising campaign to raise £6,000 to show grant authorities that the people of Worcestershire want to keep it in the county where it has been for 1,945 years. The news only broke Monday, and it was a banner Cyber Monday for the crowdfunding campaign. As of Tuesday afternoon, they had raised £5,493, 91% of the target.

The hoard is currently being catalogued and conserved at the Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum where it will go on temporary display in January. If the campaign to acquire the treasure is successful, the hoard will be moved to the Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle

* This article was originally published here