After reading this article, it’ll be no surprise if you run to the nearest store to pick up your very own metal detector. Over the years, some people have been lucky to make a few dollars using this intriguing tool as a hobby. Sometimes, you’re lucky to find jewelry and other belongings left behind in a sandy beach, but for one hobbyist , they were able to truly hit the jackpot. What did they find?
In Amsterdam, Netherlands, a man equipped with a metal detector uncovered a coin cache of gold and silver coins that date back to the ancient Celtic days. Where were these elusive coins stashed away? In a simple cornfield located in the southern part of the Dutch city called Massstricht.
This particular find is rather grand for someone who isn’t a professional treasure hunter. With the help of archeologists, Paul Curfs learned the age and historical significance of the coins he had found. A total of 39 gold and 70 silver coins seemed to have been minted in the middle of the first century BC. During this time, Julius Caesar was leading a campaign against the Celtic tribes situated within the region. He had not become the Roman ruler we all know him as at this time.
A Great Find
Curfs happened upon the coin as he was walking around with his metal detector just this past spring. Thankfully, he spent a bit more time surveying the grounds, as the urge to return home was replaced with the excitement of receiving a strong signal on his earphones. This is when the first coin was found. At first, Curfs had no clue what he had just found. In his hands, he held a gold coin bearing the image of a small horse.
It wasn’t until he posted a photo of the coin on an online forum that he was informed of his great find. The next day, he returned to the same spot and found another coin. This time, it was shaped like a ‘saucer’ and was silver in color. Curfs decided to inform the city at this time. Cooperating with archeologists, he and a group of other hobbyists were successful in locating the rest of the coins.
The Eburones
An archeologist that led the investigation of the find feels that the gold coins found in the cache were minted by a tribe named the Eburones. Caesar claimed to have destroyed all the members of the tribe in 53 BC after they supposedly connected with other groups to plan and execute an attack that wound up taking the lives of 6,000 Roman soldiers. It seems that the Eburones had given Caesar a bit of trouble during his days of conquesting. As for the silver coins, tribes possibly plotting against Caesar that were located further north are believed to have been the makers.