Gravesend Historical Society sells Roman coin hoard found in 1964

The Gravesend Historical Society is auctioning a collection of gold and silver Roman coins discovered during roadworks on the A2 in Kent, England.

The society members recovered the hoard in 1964 after a mechanical excavator broke a ceramic vessel containing the coins. Experts believe people hid the treasure around the 380s AD within the remains of Vagniacis, a Roman roadside settlement and religious center.

Members of the society spent the 1950s excavating the site to uncover ancient temples, shops, and roads. Victor Smith and Alan Ridgers, two members of the society, first discovered a single bronze coin of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius in 1963 while walking through a field. This find preceded the discovery of the larger hoard, which contained 447 coins. Society members worked on their knees to recover the coins while heavy machinery continued to operate nearby.

In 1965, a legal inquest declared the collection a treasure trove. The British Museum took 27 coins, and the society purchased the remaining 420. Auctioneers at Noonans will sell the first part of the collection this week. The society plans to use the proceeds, which could reach £15,000, to support its archive of excavation records and historical artifacts.