Found a roman coin in my backyard in Ohio of all places

I was digging a hole for a new fence post last summer in Columbus and my shovel hit something metal. Turned out to be a bronze coin from around 300 AD with Emperor Constantine on it. I have no idea how it ended up in the Midwest but I sent it to a local archaeologist at Ohio State and she confirmed it's real. She said it might have been brought over by a collector in the 1800s and lost or buried. Has anyone else found something ancient that just doesn't make sense geographically?

2 comments

2 Comments

morganj816d ago

So did the archaeologist say if the coin showed any signs of being buried long term or could someone have dropped it there recently without noticing?

evac726d ago

Yeah the "dropped there recently" part is what I keep thinking about too. If it was just lying on the surface without any dirt or corrosion it could be a recent drop for sure. But from what I read about how coins react to soil and moisture even a few years in the ground can leave marks like pitting or discoloration. That's why I think the archaeologists are probably leaning toward it being buried for a while unless the coin was in a sealed container or something. Also if someone dropped it recently you'd think they'd notice it right away especially if the area sees a lot of foot traffic. So the wear pattern and any patina buildup would be the biggest clues either way.