TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

h. CoINs
(I) RomAN
1246. Llanvaches, Newport: 599 Roman silver
denarii and associated pottery (06.14)
Date: c. AD 157
Discovery: Found by Mr B Stephens while metaldetecting
in June and October 2006.
Description: 599 silver denarii:
Nero (AD 54–68), 3
Otho (AD 69), 2
Vitellius (AD 69), 4
Vespasian (AD 69–79), 52
Titus Caesar, 2
Domitian Caesar, 17
Titus (AD 79–81), 15
Domitian Caesar, 5
Divus Vespasianus, 1
Julia Titi, 1
Domitian (AD 81–96), 65
Nerva (AD 96–98), 24
Trajan (AD 98–117), 210
Hadrian (AD 117–138), 142
Sabina, 6
Aelius Caesar, 1
Antoninus Caesar, 3
Antoninus Pius (AD 138–161), 21
Faustina I, 4
Diva Faustina I, 11
Marcus Caesar, 4
Faustina II, 3
Counterfeit, 2
Discussion: The coins had been buried in a locally
made greyware pot. One of the largest Antonine hoards
recorded from Britain, the relatively fresh condition of
some coins from earlier reigns, e.g. Trajan, may suggest
an element of savings over a prolonged period. The find
spot lies between the legionary fortress of Caerleon
(Isca: 2nd Augustan Legion, 8km to the west) and the
Civitas capital and market centre of Caerwent (Venta
Silurum, 5km to the south-east).
Disposition: National Museum of Wales.
E M BESLY
1247. Trefeglwys, powys:
1 Roman silver denarius (06.15)
Date: After AD 160
Discovery: Found by Mr S Chiles while metal-detecting
in March 2006.
Description: Silver denarius of Hadrian (AD 117–138),
RIC 176, 1
Discussion: Single finds of coins are not normally
treasure; however, in this instance the NGR supplied
by the finder placed this coin within 10 metres of that
recorded for the discovery of a hoard of around 200
denarii of the period found in around 1835 (IARCW
820). The latest coin of the few recorded in detail was
of Lucilla, struck during the reign of Marcus Aurelius
(AD 161–180). It is highly probable that the new
find forms a stray from the original hoard and it was
therefore declared Treasure under Section 3 (4) (b–c) of
the Treasure Act 1996.
Disposition: Powysland Museum, Welshpool.
E M BESLY
1248. Cardiff Castle A, Cardiff:
600+ Roman base-metal radiate imitations (06.7)
Date: AD 270s or 280s
Discovery: Found by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological
Trust during archaeological excavations in January
2006.
Description: Approximately 622 radiate imitations,
diameters ranging from 5mm to 15mm.
Discussion: The coins were found in the truncated
remains of a pit, associated with ferrous scrap. At
the time of writing, the assemblage has yet to be
conserved and many coins are in clusters. The site of
present-day Cardiff Castle was the location of a series
of forts during the Roman period, including one of late
third-century ‘Saxon Shore’ type.
Disposition: National Museum of Wales.
E M BESLY
1249. Cardiff Castle b, Cardiff:
11 Roman base-metal coins in a pot (06.8)
Date: Late third century AD?
Discovery: Found by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological
Trust During archaeological excavations in January
2006.
Description: 11 Roman coins, found in association
within the remains of an amphora.
Discussion: At the time of writing the coins have not
been conserved and they cannot be identified, except
that they probably range from the first to the late third
centuries AD.
Disposition: National Museum of Wales.
E M BESLY
1250. Newcastle higher, bridgend:
42 Roman base-metal radiates (06.20)
Date: c. AD 285–90
Discovery: Found by Mr N Gowen and Mr D M
Griffiths while metal-detecting in October 2006.
Description: 42 Roman radiates:
Central Empire
Gallienus and Salonina (AD 260–268), 5
Claudius II (AD 268–270), 3
Divus Claudius II (c. AD 270), 1
Gallic Empire
Postumus (AD 260–269), 2
Victorinus (AD 269–271), 11
Tetricus I and II (AD 271–274), 9
Irregular radiate, 1
Uncertain radiates, 10
Discussion: The findspot lies very close to that
reported for the discovery of a hoard of around
550 coins of similar types in the 1870s (Aberkenfig,
IARCW 281), dated by a single early Lyon mint coin of
Diocletian. The newly found coins almost certainly form
strays from that hoard.
Disposition: Disclaimed and returned to the finders.
E M BESLY
1251. Laugharne area, Carmarthenshire:
2,366 Roman coins (06.10)
Date: c. AD 290
Discovery: Found by Mr D John during agricultural
drainage work in May 2006.
Description: Approximately 2,366 Roman coins of the
third century AD (provisional total):
Central Empire
Volusian (AD 251–253), 1
Valerian, Gallienus and family (AD 253–260), 8
Gallienus and Salonina (AD 260–268), 327
Claudius II (AD 268–270), 280
Quintillus (AD 270), 19
Divus Claudius (c. AD 270), 64
Aurelian and Severina (AD 270–275), 12
Tacitus (AD 275–276), 15
Florian (AD 276), 1
Probus (AD 276–282), 24
Carinus (AD 282–285), 3
Diocletian (AD 285–305), 1
Gallic Empire
Postumus (AD 260–269), 27
Laelian (AD 269), 2
Marius (AD 269), 3
Victorinus (AD 269–271), 463
Tetricus I and II (AD 271–274), 1006
British Empire
Carausius (AD 286/7–293), 65
Irregular radiates, 27
Uncertain, 18
Discussion: The latest marks of Carausius are B
E // MLXXI and S C //C. This is a typical ‘Welsh’
Carausian hoard, paralleled in the area by the Erw-hên
(Carmarthenshire, 1965: 693 coins, IARCW 656 plus
unpublished addenda) and Penard (Gower, 1966: 2,583
coins, IARCW 411) deposits, both c. AD 292, and a
hoard of uncertain size found at Newton near Narberth
(Pembrokeshire, IARCW 751) in 1856–7, recently found
strays from which include a coin of Carausius of c. AD
291.
Disposition: Carmarthenshire Museums Service hopes
to acquire.
E M BESLY
1252. Dryslwyn, Carmarthenshire:
13 Roman coins (06.1)
Date: After AD 367
Discovery: Found by Mr D Gittins while metaldetecting
in August 2005 onwards.
Description:
Late Roman copper-alloy coins:
Constantine I (AD 306–337), 1
Constantius II, Caesar (AD 324–337), 1
House of Constantine, issues of AD 330–340, 7
Constans (AD 337–350), 1
Gratian (AD 367–383), 1
Illegible, 1
Discussion: At first sight a somewhat heterogeneous
assemblage, this find is paralleled in Wales by similar
groups with a wide date range from Cymyran (Treasure
Annual Report 2001, no. 197) and Din Lligwy (National
Museum of Wales, unpublished), both from the Isle of
Anglesey.
Disposition: Carmarthenshire Museums Service.
E M BESLY
(II) EARLy mEDIEVAL
1253. Llanbedrgoch, Isle of Anglesey (addendum):
Carolingian silver denier (05.8)
Date: 9th century AD
Discovery: Found by Mr A Gillespie while metaldetecting
as part of a controlled programme of
archaeological work in May 2005.
Description: Fragmentary silver denier of Charles the
Bald (c. AD 848–877), Melle mint.
Discussion: A ninth coin from the scattered hoard
previously reported (Treasure Annual Report 2003,
no. 427, etc).
Disposition: National Museum of Wales, as part of
site archive.
E M BESLY
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