Swiss dig unearths 2300-year-old Roman coin

2300-year-old coin discovered at Augusta Raurica in Augst BL Keystone-SDA

A bronze coin from the 3rd century BC has been discovered during excavations in the Roman town of Augusta Raurica - the first find of its kind in Switzerland.

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The small coin with the head of Minerva on one side and a horse’s head on the other was minted in the heart of the Roman Empire in Italy. Such coin finds are not uncommon in what is now Italy, but they are rare in Switzerland, it is said.

Although it was already 300 years old when it was found in the ground in Augst, the coin shows “astonishingly” few signs of wear, the report continues. The archaeologists interpret this as a sign that it was already considered particularly valuable at the time and was stored with appropriate care.

According to the press release, the archaeologists also discovered other unusual objects during the current emergency excavations, including stone fragments with carved initials. These stones were used in the front rows of the former amphitheater for reserved seating for wealthy citizens.

The emergency excavations for a new construction project in Augst have been ongoing since April 2023. At that time, several important finds had already been made – including a terracotta Venus figurine and a small bronze cockerel statuette. The excavations will continue next year in the communicated expectation that one or two surprises will come to light.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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