I have found several Roman coins on the east coast. Also a Byzantine coin. I believe the Roman coins I found were brought back in sand ballast of the Liberty Ships of WWII, they loaded sands from the Italian and North African coasts and dumped them here upon there return. The others were probably things kids took out of their parents' collections then lost, and in the case of the Byzantine coin, it was found at a burned plantation in SC. The guys with me found Roman coins there. Easy explanation - plantation owner was a coin collector. Back then those things were worth a mint.
The 15th century German silver coin, which looks like dog food, was found at one of the earliest places colonized in Maryland before 1670, it was probably either someone's keepsake or just old coins they had with them. After all, we still on great occasion find a 19th century Indian cent in our change. Same idea.
The 16th century Spanish, also of the dog food variety, that is it's really in bad shape, was found near where the Spanish explored up the Chesapeake Bay in the mid to late 1500's. It is recorded they came and the Indians attacked them, and they left. That coin is probably the oldest coin found in my county.
Phillip II half blanca. I had to have a very knowledgeable coin dealer do the ID for me. He said the ID on the silver German coin was and is still problematic.
