Do You Know Where Your Coin Was Found?

Funny story, earlier this year. I've been almost exclusively collecting old canadian coins for 21 years. My life long friend from childhood (whom is a doctor of archaeology and teaches at the university of Toronto) went on a month long dig in Monte Testaccio, Italy. South of Rome, on the Tiber River in March. Anyway, he was going to aide and teach in the dig with 6 of his fourth year students. He said if I wanted to go, I could use some of his airmiles toward a flight and stay with him free. After one day of thought, I told him I'd go for one week toward the end of his month there. I mainly toured Rome and the surrounding countryside for most of my week. On my second last day there I accompanied him on his dig where they were unearthing broken clay pots full of many different artifacts. One clay pot was filled with hundreds of silver roman coins. I really didn't know much at the time about ancient roman coins, and thought they were so cool.

I approached the lead archaeologist in charge of the dig and asked her if it would be possible if I could buy one of the coins that was found as a souvenir of my experience? She said nothing was for sale. However she had notice some doubles of a coin that she was easily able to identify within a two year period and said if I make a donation of 20 euros to her archaelogical society that I can have one. I donated 40 euros, just out of appreciation for all of the attention I received that day. The coin turned out to be worth more than that, but I'd never sell it because of the story. I've also bought more ancient roman coins since I've returned home.

Here's the coin:

Roman Republic silver Denarius from 117/116 BC Caecilius Metellus

Thanks, I think all of the stories are great in this topic. Just having a story behind this coin makes it more valuable to me than my most pricey gold coin.

It's what sparked my new era of collecting for me. I have most of the old Canadian coins that I've wanted over the past 21 years and am not that interested in purchasing newer coins. Now that I'm an antique, might as well learn about other antiques and add them to my collection... Ha ha

And that coin is the reason I came across this forum after all of these years.

Thats a great story and most likely a once in a life time experience. I am envious.

I can be adopted!

Great acquisition bobby

I would be crazy excited if I found a Roman coin in the ground. I'd be like this banana