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Rare cache of 2nd century Greek coins found in Romania
The trove of 68 coins was found by a retired police officer, who located them with a metal detector.
International
A rare cache of silver Greek coins minted during the 2nd century was recently uncovered in the southern Romanian village of Radomiresti, according to the Greek Reporter.
The trove of 68 coins was found by a retired police officer, who located them via a metal detector.
The coins themselves were inscribed with the phrase “Μακεδόνων Πρώτης” meaning "Macedonia first." They also have oak leaves throughout the coin.
The retired officer handed over the coins to the police, who then turned them over to the Greek Culture Ministry to determine their authenticity and date.
“After counting twenty-odd coins, I stopped and called the authorities,” retired officer Paul Durca said on Facebook, according to the report.
The cache of coins was found on a patch of land he owns, the report added.
“It’s a favorite pastime. Today on the 13th, the goddess of fortune and all the gods of fortune were with me. I dug up 68 coins from the 2nd century. Thank you Lord!," the discoverer concluded.
The Greek Reporter noted that Greek presence in what is now Romania dates back to the 7th Century BCE. Metal detector enthusiasts stumble upon these rare caches quite often in Romania, as most of the land in the countryside has been left undisturbed.