Hobbyist Unearths Largest Cache of Roman Silver Coins in Germany

WHO:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Oliver Riedl, an amateur archaeologist, discovered the coins.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Erich Classen, state archaeologist and director of the LVR Office for the Preservation of Archaeological Monuments in the Rhineland, commented on the discovery.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Rahel Otte, a research associate at the archaeological office, provided insights on the value of the coins.

WHAT:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - A total of 934 Roman silver denarii were discovered, making it the largest coin treasure ever found in Germany from the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The hoard of coins weighs 3.1 kilograms (6.8 pounds).

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The majority of the coins date from the time of the Flavian emperors (A.D. 69–96), with the oldest minted in 148 B.C.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The collection was likely buried deliberately in the second quarter of the second century A.D.

WHERE:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The coins were found in a field near Wesseling, south of Cologne, Germany.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The hoard went on display at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn.

WHEN:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The coins were discovered a year prior to the article's publication.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - The hoard went on display on a Tuesday.

WHY:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - It is speculated that the coins were buried to keep the money safe, as banks did not exist at that time.

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Classen suggested that the treasure may not have been recovered earlier because the owner might have died before being able to retrieve it.

HOW:

[11:04 AM EDT] - CBS News - Riedl used a metal detector, which continued to signal even after he found several coins, prompting him to call authorities for assistance.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 15:59 UTC)

A remarkable discovery has been made in a field near Wesseling, south of Cologne, Germany, where amateur archaeologist Oliver Riedl uncovered a hoard of 934 Roman silver denarii, marking it as the largest coin treasure from the time of Emperor Hadrian ever found in the country. Weighing in at 3.1 kilograms, the coins predominantly date back to the Flavian emperors, with the oldest minted in 148 B.C., and they were likely buried in the second quarter of the second century A.D. The treasure is now on display at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, and experts suggest it may have been hidden for safekeeping, as banks did not exist at that time, with the possibility that the original owner never returned to retrieve it.