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Past exhibitionsRoman Gold

 

Roman gold

A hidden treasure

Photo of a pile of gold coinsFor the first time, a hoard of Roman gold coins has been discovered in London. At Plantation Place in the City of London, Museum of London archaeologists excavated 43 coins from a possible masonry-lined deposit box under the floor of a substantial Roman London residence. The coins were probably held in a textile or leather purse inside a small wooden box.

The Romans introduced a currency system into Britain based on three metals: the aureus of gold, the denarius of silver and lower denominations of copper alloy. This valuable hoard consists solely of gold aurei, coins never in everyday circulation but used by administrators, bankers or rich merchants. Although it spans more than 100 years (from AD65-174), the hoard is thought to be a random selection of coins likely to represent the owner's savings, deposited in a safe place but never retrieved.

Worth their weight in gold!
  • The gold coins in the hoard are the equivalent of a legionary soldier's pay for 43 months.
  • The aureus was 95% pure gold (22 carat)
  • 45 aurei were intended to weigh one Roman pound or libra (327.45g)
  • 12 aurei represented the salary of a Roman legionary soldier for 1 year
  • 8 aurei would buy 1 boy slave
  • 8 aurei would buy 23 acres of woodland in Kent
  • 1 aureus would buy 400 litres of cheap wine
  • 1 aureus would buy 200 pounds of flour

The hoard spanned the period from AD65-174 and incorporated coins of eight emperors and two empresses. The coins were found clustered together, but have here been arranged chronologically.

The Coins