A HOARD of 2,000 year old Roman coins, thought to be a soldier’s savings, went on display at the National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, yesterday.
The 599 coins were discovered in a pasture field at Llanvaches, near Penhow, by amateur archaeologist Brian Stephens, in June 2006.
They are thought to be one of the largest second century silver coin hoards recorded from Roman Britain and date from around AD160.
The hoard was valued by the Independent Treasure Valuation Committee and Mr Stephens and the landowner shared a five figure fee.
This was paid by the National Museum of Wales, which put the coins on permanent display in at the museum in Caerleon.
Curator of coins and medals at the National Roman Legion Museum, Edward Besley said: “It looks like it would have been a savings hoard.
“The sum represents around two years savings for a soldier, so maybe it was his pension or the proceeds of some commercial venture.”
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