Dave Crisp had been metal detecting for years. In April 2010, he was searching a field near Frome in Somerset when his detector gave a strong signal. A few inches down, he found a Roman coin. Then another. Then he realised they were still coming.
Crisp knew better than to keep digging. He'd found something significant, and he called in the experts. What archaeologists carefully excavated over the following days astonished everyone: a massive pottery vessel containing 52,503 Roman coins — the largest coin hoard ever found in a single container in Britain.
A Snapshot of Roman History
The coins dated from AD 253 to 305, a turbulent period when the Roman Empire was fragmenting. Most remarkably, 766 coins bore the image of Carausius — the Roman commander who declared himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul in AD 286.
The hoard included coins from 21 different emperors, including five new coin types never recorded before. For historians, it was like opening a time capsule.
What the Detectorist Did Right
Dave Crisp's decision to stop digging and call archaeologists was crucial. The coins were excavated in a controlled environment, preserving vital information about how and why they were buried. His responsible approach earned him half of the £320,250 treasure valuation — and the gratitude of historians worldwide.
The Weight of History
The hoard weighed 160kg — the pot alone couldn't be lifted without mechanical help. Whoever buried this fortune intended to come back. They never did. Nearly 2,000 years later, a metal detectorist found their secret.
The coins are now displayed at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.