In Cornwall, in the west of England, a woman came across a 1,700-year-old Roman coin.
The lucky finder is 80-year-old Ann Greenstreet – an inhabitant of Godolphin Cross, near Helston – who made an unexpected discovery while walking her dog. After picking up the coin from the ground, she put it in her pocket and forgot it for a few days. Only after this time did she pick up the item again and noticed the figure of the emperor with a laurel wreath. Then she did a google search and found similar coins on the internet dating back to 300 CE.
Specialists from the Royal Cornwall Museum confirmed the discoverer’s assumptions. The character shown on the artefact is Valentinian I, who ruled the Empire in the years 364-375 CE. During this time, Roman Britain was under constant attack from the barbarians. Despite the time, the coin is in good condition. It has damaged edges, but the image of the emperor is very well preserved.
