A woman taking a stroll through a field in the Czech Republic just happened upon a trove of silver coins dating back 900 years. She alerted government officials, who sent a team of archaeologists to investigate. The search yielded even more coins, bringing the total number to over 2,150.
According to experts, the coins — known as deniers — date back to the 11th and 12th centuries. Their wealthy owner likely buried them during a time of political instability in the region.
Now, researchers are planning to conduct further tests on the coins before putting them on public display.
An Ordinary Walk Leads To An Extraordinary Find
Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicArchaeologists comb through the field where the Czech woman initially discovered the coins.
In May 2024, a woman was walking through a field in the town of Kutná Hora in the central Czech Republic when she spotted a handful of silver coins on the ground. Curious about their potential importance, she contacted officials.
Then, archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic arrived and began searching the area with metal detectors. In total, they unearthed more than 2,150 silver coins as well as broken remnants of a ceramic container that likely once held the money.
Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicArchaeologists scour the field with metal detectors.
In a press release, the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences stated that the coins were made up of an “alloy, which, in addition to silver, also contains an admixture of copper, lead, and trace metals. Determining this particular composition can also help determine the origin of the silver used.”
So, why exactly were these coins buried in a remote field?
Where Did The Silver Coins Come From?
Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicThe silver coins lying in the dirt.
After analyzing the coins, researchers determined that they were likely minted by Bohemian rulers King Vratislav II and princes Břetislav II, and Bořivoje II between 1085 and 1107.
Lenka Mazačová, the director of the Czech Silver Museum in Kutná Hora, further stated in the press release, “The coins were likely minted in the Prague mint from silver, which was imported to Bohemia at the time.”
As for how the coins ended up in the dirt, experts believe that their wealthy owner likely buried them during a time of political instability.
“At that time, there were disputes in the country between the members of the Přemysl dynasty about the princely throne of Prague,” institute archaeologist Filip Velímský stated in the press release. The coins could have been used “for paying wages or spoils of war.”
Regardless of their use, the coins are one of the most important archaeological finds in the region in the last 10 years.
“Unfortunately, for the turn of the 11th to 12th century, we lack data on the purchasing power of contemporary coins,” Velímský continued. “But it was a huge, unimaginable — and at the same time, unavailable — amount for an ordinary person. It can be compared to winning a million in the jackpot.”
Currently, researchers are working to register each of the coins into a database. Then, they plan on using X-ray imaging to determine their composition. After that, the coins will be available for public viewing as early as next year.