File:Roman coin, Fragment of a denarius of Mark Antony (FindID 468982).jpg

English: A fragment of a silver denarius of Marc Antony dating to the period 32-31 BC. Travelling mint. Cf. RRC p. 540, no. 544. The coin has broken, with approximately half the coin remaining. It measures 17.5mm (length/ original diameter) x 10.7mm (width) x 1.9mm (thickness) and weighs 1.89g.

Circumstances of discovery

Six Roman silver coins, an Iron Age copper alloy coin and a silver gilt brooch were discovered by various members of a metal-detecting club spread across the ploughsoil of one field on 25th September 2011. The Iron Age coin was found spread around the same c. 100m x 200m area as four of the silver coins and the brooch, and two of the silver coins (the denarii of Mark Antony described below) about 200m away from these and 100m apart.

Description of find

The coins consisted of six silver Roman coins of the denomination known as a denarius (plural denarii) (four Roman Republican (two of which were denarii of Mark Antony dated to c. 32-31BC and two of which were dated 81BC and 80BC respectively) and two Roman Imperial denarii of Augustus dated between 15BC and AD 4) and one cast copper alloy Iron Age coin of the type known as a 'potin' dated to approximately 175Bc to 70 BC.

The brooch was examined by Justine Bayley and identified it as a gilded silver brooch with features of early first century AD date. She writes: "The punch-decorated fantail with an applied lozenge is related to some of the rosette and Aesica types, but the hinged pin with knobs on the axis bar looks like the Aucissa and related brooches - though note it is a drilled solid head rather than being rolled round the axis bar".

Summary of coins

Iron Age potin 1
Republic
A. Postumius Albinus (81 BC) 1
L. Procilius (80 BC) 1
Mark Antony (32BC-31BC) 2
Augustus (27BC-AD 14) 2
Total 7

Metal Content and Age

The coins and brooch satisfy the terms of the Treasure Act with regard to age and metal content. They are certainly more than 300 years old and the six denarii and the brooch have a precious metal contents in excess of the 10%.

Same find?

Roman Republican coins are known to have circulated for a long period in Britain due to their high silver content. The brooch and the six denarii are therefore likely to have been deposited in the first century AD. It would be unusual to find a potin in a deposit of this date and composition, although it may represent an earlier phase of activity at the site (for example ritual deposition). Considering this hoard in isolation, the potin does not appear to be part of the same find, as it is likely to have been deposited well over 100 years prior to the remainder of the group and I would therefore suggest that it is an isolated stray find in the absence of any further evidence to the contrary (such as, for example, other finds of that date).

Recommendation

On the balance of probabilities, I conclude that the find of six silver denarii and a brooch constitutes a prima facie case of treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996), by being part of a group of two or more precious metal coins of the same find.

Dr. Eleanor Ghey
The Department of Coins and Medals
The British Museum

30th April 2012