Ancient coins found in France

Three large jars buried under the floor of a Gallo-Roman house in Senon, Meuse, have preserved over 40,000 bronze coins for nearly 1,800 years. The coins date from between 280 and 310 AD and were discovered during an excavation by the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) before the expansion of a local house.

Coins from Roman emperors

The coins feature images of Victorinus, Tetius the father, and his son, emperors of the short-lived Gallic Empire that ruled Roman Gaul and Britain from 260 to 274 AD. These were low-value bronze coins that circulated widely, requiring tens of thousands to make a significant amount of money.

Jars placed carefully in homes

The excavation, covering 1,500 square meters, revealed three containers placed in the floor of living rooms. The first jar held 38 kilograms of metal, equivalent to 23,000 to 24,000 coins, while the second, with a broken neck, contained 18,000 to 19,000 coins weighing nearly 50 kilograms.

Third jar long emptied

The third jar had been emptied since antiquity, leaving only three forgotten coins behind. The placement of the jars suggests they were not hidden in a hurry, but rather installed in enclosed pits with their openings at ground level, indicating a deliberate and planned storage method.