I am currently in possession of two hoards of late kushan era coins. Both were found in kpk district of Pakistan (where a lot of kushan stuff is found) independently. The coins were stored inside pots which were broken and discarded by whoever found the hoards. The big round hoard (~2.5kg) has perfectly kept the shape of the pot it was inside, look at the curved point at the bottom! The smaller hoard (1.5kg) has retained little of its containers shape, possibly it was broken into a couple of pieces. Both hoards are the same types of coins, Here is the ID details from coinindia: One of these will be going into a local museum very soon. Possibly the hoards wont be cleaned as the condition of the coins isnt that good. Who thinks thered be a gold dinar or two in these? The hoards:
If each of the coins are valuable, I'd like them all cleaned. But if these are really common coins, I prefer them clumped like this, probably worth more like this at a historical point of view.
These are really cool -- it would be great to have the pots, too. Probably all the same types all the way through. Sometimes they can become completely fused -- those are my favorite -- when stacks of coins can all get bent and crimped together and become inseparable. I used to have a lot more, but I still have a few small stacks of inextricably fused coins. I think these 3 photos are different angles of 1 object (maybe the first photo is a different clump from #2-3? didn't label well enough!) I'm still really mad at myself: 15 or 20 years ago I sold some bigger stacks, each with a couple dozen silver Antoniniani from the mid-3rd century (Gordian III through Volusian?), plus a few smaller stacks. They had basically turned into thick silver rebar -- like the photos above, but much longer. They weren't worth a lot. But they were SO interesting! And I've never been able to replace them The worst part? I can't even find photos of them all. Maybe someday I can dig them up online somehow.
Yep common coins, they are going to stay as is to visualize what an uncleaned hoard looks like. Those silver stacks are nice and chunky curtis. Hoards or fused coins arent the everyday find so I can understand how you feel on not haaving your bigger stacks anymore. Hope you somehow run into them again
I have seen in Gaza (in better times) this hoard. H: 28 cm, weight 3.26 kg. The coins were late 4th c. AE4, for example Arcadius, rev. Salus Reipublicae, Victory dragging captive. The block was allegedly found in the sea. It was not in a pot, but probably in a cloth sack. The cloth has vanished long ago but the coin-block kept its shape. Gaza, private collection (not mine)
Yes, it is... This man collects coins, antiquities, etc. And in his coin collection there are not only coins, there are also hoards. He had a hoard of Byzantine folles (Anastasius, Justin I, Justinian), a hoard of Roman denarii (Vespasian to Septimius Severus)...
BTW I forgot to update, but the larger hoard made it into a cabinet which was inaugrated by our team at the recently established Gujrat museum, Pakistan. Heres the cabinet and me, spot the hoard:
Wonderful way to preserve history and make it available to others. Spread the knowledge and hopefully the encourage new collectors.
