ROME, ITALY—According to an Associated Press report, a coin spotted by a diver has led to the discovery of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins in an area of underwater sea grass and beach on Sardinia’s northeastern coast. Firefighter divers and border police divers assisted with the task of searching for and retrieving the coins, which have been dated to the first half of the fourth century A.D. The weight of the coins suggests that there could be as many as 50,000 of them. Luigi La Rocca of Sardinia’s archaeology department said that traces of a shipwreck may be found in the area. To read about Sardinia's Iron Age Nuragic culture, go to "Tyrrhenian Traders."
Thousands of Bronze Coins Discovered in Sardinia
News November 6, 2023
SHARE:
Recommended Articles
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2026
The Lion of Venice Roars
AndrCGS/AdobeStock
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2026
A Sicilian Gift Horse
Courtesy Davide Tanasi
Pasquale Sorrentino
Off the Grid September/October 2025
Necropolis of Pantalica, Italy
Photo by Ilana Herzig
-
Features September/October 2023
Ukraine's Lost Capital
In 1708, Peter the Great destroyed Baturyn, a bastion of Cossack independence and culture
(Leonid Andronov/Alamy Stock Photo) -
Letter from Vesuvius September/October 2023
Digging on the Dark Side of the Volcano
Survivors of the infamous disaster rebuilt their lives on the ashes of the a.d. 79 eruption
(Courtesy Girolamo Ferdinando De Simone) -
Artifacts September/October 2023
Padlock
(Courtesy James Davidson) -
Digs & Discoveries September/October 2023
Nose to Tail
(Lisa See collection. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California)