Roman "Cathouse" Token

"An amateur archeologist out walking along the River Thames with his metal detector discovered a rare and unique coin believed to be about 2,000 years old.

Regis Cursan, 37, discovered the long-hidden bronze token (described as 'spintria') in the mud near Putney Bridge, West London, at low tide. The spintria, believed by experts to be a token used in ancient Roman brothels, depicts two people in a sex act.

According to the Daily Mail, historians believe it is the first token of its type to be found in Britain."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Museum of London

Cumbrian Roman Coin Hoard

"John Murray, 66, was amazed to find 308 Roman coins, some thought to be nearly 2,000 years old. The hoard was concealed in a smashed pot a few feet below the ground at Beckfoot, near Silloth.

It is the second major Roman find in Cumbria, following the Crosby Garrett helmet which was unearthed by a metal detectorist last May.

Bearing the heads of various emperors, the coins have been taken to the British Museum for restoration and analysis."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: News & Star

Cache of Bronze Coins in York

"An elderly metal-detecting enthusiast has told how she found a hoard of 3,600 coins dating back to the third century in a field near York.

Marjorie Dandy, 75, of Thornton-le-Clay, near Malton, said the bronze coins had been buried inside three pots, one of which had survived intact.

She was speaking after coroner Michael Oakley declared at an inquest that the coins, described as rare survivals of the period by experts at the British Museum, were treasure trove."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: York Press

Medievil Seal Holds Roman Jewel

"An amateur enthusiast has unearthed a mysterious treasure said to bear inscriptions from a forgotten medieval code.

Ivor Miller’s find is thought to be a medieval silver seal containing a Roman-era jewel and engraved with as-yet undeciphered lettering.

Some have speculated a medieval farm labourer may have found the Roman jewel, a semi-precious stone, and handed it to their noble or lord, who placed it into their correspondence seal."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: The Northern Echo

Fake Coin Sale to Fund College Degree

"A unique Roman coin found by a metal detector was made by an ancient ‘Del Boy’ forger who could not spell and did not know his emperors.

The silver denarius, an average day's pay for a Roman worker, was modelled on coins struck to commemorate the Battle of Actium of 31 BC.

The famous battle saw the combined forces of Roman General Mark Antony and Egyptian Queen Cleopatra defeated by Octavian, who went on to rule as Emperor Augustus."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: John Connor / Press Associates Ltd.

Finding an Iron Age Burial Site

"Having wielded a metal detector for 15 years, a builder finally struck lucky when he stumbled across an Iron Age burial ground.

Steve Blair, of Heaverham Road in Kemsing, has a passion for history and archaeology and had always hoped to uncover artefacts more significant than his usual finds of Victorian pennies.

His luck changed when his detector found three cremation urns dating back to the late Iron Age and early Roman period."

Read more HERE.

Roman Helmet to Auction

"A stunning Roman cavalry helmet, made to awe the spectators in a procession of wealth and power rather than for practical use in combat, has been found by a metal detector user near the village of Crosby Garrett in Cumbria.

However, the artifact is not certain to end up in a local museum as single items of bronze are not covered by the Treasure Act.

Instead the helmet, the best found in Britain in more than a century, is likely to make its finder rich at auction, with a guide price at Christie's of £300,000."

Read more HERE.

More articles:
TIME Magazine
Paul Fraser Collectibles

Trailer Park Coin Hoard

"A metal-detecting historian has made an exciting discovery of rare Roman coins at a South Lakeland caravan park.

John Harrison, 60, uncovered a hoard of 30 ancient Barbarous Radiates coins, thought to date back to 250AD, while walking with his metal detector at Holgates Caravan Park, near Arn-side. Experts described the find as ‘historically significant’.

Mr Harrison, from Carnforth, also found 10 bronze Roman trumpet brooches – dating back to between 75-150AD – at what he believes to be an ancient Roman worshipping ground."

Read more HERE.

Pictured below is an example of a "radiate" coin.

UK Forum Peer and Roman Lantern

Yesterday, FMDF member "john_gm" posted an update with a photo regarding his son's amazing find of a Roman lantern back in September of 2009.

Well the BBC was also interested in the story and reported on Danny Mills' cool find being displayed in a museum.

"A metal detecting enthusiast has found what is believed to be the only intact Roman lantern made out of bronze ever discovered in Britain.

Danny Mills, 21, made the find in a field near Sudbury in Suffolk.

The area was dotted with plush Roman villas and country estates in the second century.

The object, described as a rare example of Roman craftsmanship, has been donated to Ipswich Museum where is it now on display."

Read more HERE.

Huge Roman Coin Cache Unearthed

"The hoard of more than 52,000 coins dating from the third century AD was found buried in a field near Frome in Somerset.

The coins were found in a huge jar just over a foot (0.3m) below the surface by Dave Crisp, from Devizes in Wiltshire."

Read more HERE.

Better pics HERE.

Image Credits Sommerset County Council/Finds.org.uk