Somerset metal detectorist finds hoard of Roman silver coins in field

John Ross-Osbourne, has been metal detecting for 3 years. Although he has found many interesting historical artefacts with his metal detector in the past, this is the first time he has ever found something so historically significant.

The coins, which are all made of solid silver were minted in Rome and date from 148 to 149AD. He found 8 in total in one small area of the field he was detecting on. The coins depict the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius.

John said: "It’s amazing to think that these coins were minted in Rome at the height of the Roman Empire and the birth of Christianity and travelled such a vast distance.

"To end up in a remote colony of the empire and to be found in a field near Frome having not been touched by any human hand for over 1,800 years. I am absolutely over the moon. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime find."

The UK Treasure Act states that any potential treasure has to be reported to a local Finds Liaison Officer within 14 days of discovery.  Anything that is gold or silver should be reported, even more so if one or more silver or gold coins are discovered in a small area.

John Ross-Osbourne and his daughter Erin. (Image: Katy Harris)

One or more silver or gold coins found in a small area of land is classed as a hoard. The 8 coins that were found are being investigated by the Somerset Finds Liaison Officer as a probable scattered hoard.

The last known hoard in Frome hit the headlines all over the world in 2010, when metal detectorist Dave Crisp found a hoard of 52, 503 Roman silver coins dating from 253 to 305AD. The hoard of coins made history as being the largest group of coins ever to be found in Britain from the reign of Carausius. The hoard is displayed at the Somerset Museum based in Taunton.

John had been metal detecting the land in Frome for several weeks and unearthed the first coin on the first day of detecting in a new section of the field. The next day he went back and found a further 5 coins.

Much to his excitement, he took his daughter Erin, 14, to help him find the rest. With his daughter, he found the remaining last coins. After reporting the 8 coins to the Somerset Finds Liaison Officer, Dr Maria Kneafsey, she advised John to carefully detect the rest of the field. No further coins were found.

The hoard of coins. (Image: Katy Harris)

John believes that the coins were either buried as an offering to the Gods – something that many people did in Roman times. Or, the coins were dropped and lost from a belt purse, or were buried as someone’s personal wealth – never to be collected.

The 8 silver coins are currently going through the treasure process where the Finds Liaison Officer will liaise with the coroner to determine if the coins are classed as treasure. If this is the case, the coins will be offered to any local Museum who want to purchase them. The money from the sale of the coins will be split equally between John and the landowner. If the coins are not classed as treasure, John plans to keep the coins together and pay the landowner for the value the coins have today.

John adds: "For me, my hobby has never been about finding treasure. It’s about recovering little bits of history and helping to piece together information about our past for generations to come. I feel proud to have found something so historically important for the Frome community and local historians."