AncientPages.com - Hundreds of gold coins of the late imperial era, kept in a soapstone vessel have been found during archaeological excavations in the basement of the former Cressoni Theater in Como, north of Milan, Italy, informed Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.
Minister Alberto Monisoli informed that the coins are dated to the fourth or fifth century AD but also added that for now, it is not exactly known the coins’ cultural and historical significance. It is believed, however, they could be worth millions of dollars.
CNN cites Maria Grazia Facchinetti, a numismatist (or expert in rare coins) saying that “whoever placed the jar in that place "buried it in such a way that in case of danger they could go and retrieve it.
"They were stacked in rolls similar to those seen in the bank today," she said, adding the coins have engravings about emperors Honorius, Valentinian III, Leon I, Antonio, and Libio Severo "so they don't go beyond 474 AD."
"All of this makes us think that the owner is not a private subject, rather it could be a public bank or deposit," Facchinetti added.
Additional discovery was made in form of a golden bar inside the jar.
All artifacts have been transported to the Mibac restoration laboratory in Milan fopr further analysis.
The historic Cressoni Theater opened in 1807 before transitioning into a cinema and eventually closing in 1997.
The site is not far from the Novum Comum forum area, where other important Roman artifacts were discovered, according to the ministry. The find is one of several surprising discoveries of Roman coins in recent years.
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