Roman Coin Finds In Michigan

[Michigan Badger]

Okay so you aren't going to believe this.

NOTE: This is true, I'm not kidding, and I didn't make this up.

I went back to that alley (fire lane) site where I dug the 1930 Model A Ford taillight yesterday and I get this nickel sound. I figured like cool--another Buff.

I'm using a full sized shovel since it's ruff ground about ready to be paved anyway.

I dig down and down and finally the signal is in the dirt. I sift it and this tiny silver round thing is laying there looking at me. What the heck! I pick it up and sure enough--a Roman coin! No way!

I turned it over to see if it was a button but nope--a coin.

I'm now thinking about how somebody must of lost it on the way to school for "show n tell."

I laugh and get another deep signal about 4 feet away. Up from the depths comes an ugly looking silver coin-like thing much thicker than the first one.

Then I remember that last year I dug a strange looking thin coin about 60 feet from where I was standing. I'll see if I can find it. It was very corroded so I just tossed it into one of my junk containers. I wonder?

No big deal I know but I've heard of people finding these in New York but never dreamed it would happen to me.

Collecting and cleaning ancient coins in America has been popular since the Victorian era.

You never know what that next dig will turn up

I just added a photo of the coin I dug last year at this site (very bottom picture). I put it into the rock tumbler for several hours. There are markings on it. You can barely make out an X to the right.

 

[Trond]

You should get in touch with your museum and your local newspaper, this is an interesting find. :P

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Wow, what a find! Who knows how they got there but you found them. I was also able to ID the coin to Constantine I'st but I see Robfinds nailed it. I found 7 Roman bronzes in April and one is surely from Constantine. So is that your oldest coin find, LOL? It is my oldest coin find in Germany. Congrats and HH, Mike

 

[The.Boomer]

What time is it ?


It's Banner time !



WTG Michigan !

 

[CRUSADER]

Hello Badger, think it's a coin of Constantine 1 , 313-41 AD. Here's one I found in England some time ago.

HH Robert.

Thanks much for the photos and I believe you're right.

Badger

That's correct, its one of the most common Constantine I with the two soldiers, two standards.

 

[Leon]

Wow!,, I guess you really shouldn't never say never...
Congrats on such an unusual find for this neck of the woods...
Continued Good luck, & Happy hunting~

 

[TimC (North Alabama)]

Roman coins, cool! "never" would have thought. Fantastic!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Wow, what a find! Who knows how they got there but you found them. I was also able to ID the coin to Constantine I'st but I see Robfinds nailed it. I found 7 Roman bronzes in April and one is surely from Constantine. So is that your oldest coin find, LOL? It is my oldest coin find in Germany. Congrats and HH, Mike

Yep, my oldest

Wish the kid who lost these would have at least lost one with decent detail

I'll tell you what Mike, we'll trade. You come over here and hunt my spots and I'll come over there and hunt yours

NOT Banner but beats a memorial cent

 

[kane23]

I found both a Roman coin(280 AD) and greek coin(Selucid approx 150 BCE) on a collectors lawn, another detectorist I know found seven in different spots, here in the west. HH Kane23

 

[Michigan Badger]

I found both a Roman coin(280 AD) and greek coin(Selucid approx 150 BCE) on a collectors lawn, another detectorist I know found seven in different spots, here in the west. HH Kane23

Thanks for the backup post

I know lots of people could more easily believe a guy dug a pot of gold in a kiddie park than believe somebody in the U.S. dug an ancient coin

I was worried about this but it seems to be going okay.

 

[IAsoldier]

I do agree on maybe someone show and tell or someones pocket piece from home back in the old days.

 

[Slingshot]

Nice finds! That just goes to show that you never know what will turn up, I dug a Mongolian coin from the 1300's in a tree yard in Greenville SC a few years ago. It took forever to find out what it was. I'd go back and dig the spot you got those from some more! Good luck!

 

[kane23]

Michigan,
If you look very hard you'll find that hundreds of people(just the ones known),probably thousands have found ancient coins in the USA. I doubt many if any roman's lost them,but they are out there. Did you know thomas jefferson collected ancient coins? Kane 23

 

[Detectingfreak]

Thats awesome!!! Very nice job!!!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Michigan,
If you look very hard you'll find that hundreds of people(just the ones known),probably thousands have found ancient coins in the USA. I doubt many if any roman's lost them,but they are out there. Did you know thomas jefferson collected ancient coins? Kane 23

Hum, no I didn't know he collected them.

I read somewhere once that during the Victorian era those with extra money loved most anything imported and this included ancient coins.

Ancient coins where found in large numbers long before the invention of the metal detector. Farmers and road workers found them on a regular basis.

The first European settlers here most likely brought some with them.

Since posting this I've had lots of people contact me to let me know they also have found them in this country. I guess many doubted people here would believe them so they never posted in Today's Finds.

Maybe my post will encourage some in the future to post their ancient finds?

Badger

 

[Michigan Badger]

Nice finds! That just goes to show that you never know what will turn up, I dug a Mongolian coin from the 1300's in a tree yard in Greenville SC a few years ago. It took forever to find out what it was. I'd go back and dig the spot you got those from some more! Good luck!

Cool!

And you're so right.

Badger

 

[Born Free]

Constantine 1 , 313-41 AD?

That is mind-boggling to me that it was in American soil. Like finding a dinasaur in your backyard!
You may have found the oldest coin ever found in the US.
Your local historians would be fascinated to know about it, bet they could shed some light for you.
Perhaps it was near a trading post?

If it's a common coin in Europe because there are alot of them, well, it's NOT common here! Priceless because it was here!

Banner for sure.

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[rmptr]

Great find MB!

You just never know...

Many years ago I saw buncha silly people swinging things along a coastal stretch of road and asked what they were doing...

There had been a long run of burglaries in the hi-rent district which of course made the papers, which ended with a police chase of a thief who tossed firearms and a large coin collection from the window of an auto on a 10 mile stretch of road. Much of it was nearly impenetrable brush back then... but now?

At least a portion of that alleyway could have been part of a well traveled trail, at one time.
Never know where the road agents might have laid in waiting, either!

Best
rmptr

 

[ModernMiner]

MB,
You da Man!!! Congrats on some VERY unique finds. You never know what's going to turn up detecting.
SWEET!!!
-MM-

 

[JP]

cool finds. The only ones I have I had to buy.

I have read several stories over the years of people finding ancient Roman coins in places where they shouldn't be. I don't remember where but read an article about a ship wreck in the Caribean where they found Roman amphora and coins. Also throughout the USA there have been finds from other cultures. I know some of the stuff could be from what people in modern times picked up and lost. But how do we not know that ancient mariners may have made it to the New World?

 

[Michigan Badger]

cool finds. The only ones I have I had to buy.

I have read several stories over the years of people finding ancient Roman coins in places where they shouldn't be. I don't remember where but read an article about a ship wreck in the Caribean where they found Roman amphora and coins. Also throughout the USA there have been finds from other cultures. I know some of the stuff could be from what people in modern times picked up and lost. But how do we not know that ancient mariners may have made it to the New World?

I too enjoy thinking about the possibilities. This earth has been here a very long time and more and more we're discovering that ancient man wasn't so dumb after all.

I think if we knew what all has taken place right here in what we today now call America, I think we'd be totally shocked. How many hundreds of different nations and peoples lived on this land? We'll probably never know.

Back several decades ago I'm told someone found an engraved ancient clay fragment in one of our rivers. To my knowledge it was never identified.

Very interesting stuff.


Thanks to everyone for your comments!