I thought this might be an interesting little testimonial due to the fact I am some 4000 miles away on the other side of the Atlantic but we still share the same passion and excitement about our finds.
My story takes place on a cold winter`s Sunday morning, well cold for South West France about 12 degrees max. I had recently gained permission to search some land which belongs to a work colleague and the premises of his riding school which happens to be adjacent to a Roman farm holding which was recently discovered whilst pre factory building work was being undertaken.
Two hours into my detecting session the only items of any interest I had found were some pieces of lead and small fragments of bronze. But with these items and the amount of pottery I could see on the surface I felt sure I was on the right track and had a feeling I was in a good spot.
Then suddenly I heard the signal we all wait for. Not too loud and high or the low grunt of iron. It was that crisp clear signal repeatable in both directions with the coil sweep. Looking down on my screen on coil pass over it was a constant 9, showing coin size on the graphics and about six inches deep.
My heart was already pumping; I had a good feeling about this signal. I pin pointed with two sweeps and memorized the spot on the ground. I took my spade and made a good firm penetration from two angles and then folded back the ground in one move………….and there it was peeping from the side of the freshly cut hole. A large coin. I quickly and eagerly lifted the coin from its resting place and held it in my hand. From a first glance, I could tell it was bronze and my experience told me it was surely Roman.
I stopped motionless, took a large breath and gave the coin a quick rub between my fingers and there looking back at me was an emperor’s head smiling and beguiling. I turned the coin over and there was a bull as clear as day. Something in my head told me this was a bit different and a bit special, like nothing I had seen before. So, I placed the coin securely in my pocket double checking it was securely seated.
I then proceeded to perform the customary expanding spiral around the coin find spot which we all do after a good find but I found nothing more.
I then decided it was time to pack up, head home with my adrenaline high and hit the books and internet to identify the coin……….
However, my adrenaline rush soon faded at my house after sitting at the computer for over five hours searching to identify the coin and had gone through every coin identification book I owned. My excitement had now turned to total intrigue of why I could not identify this coin.
I made a decision; it was time to contact the `big guns`….
I quickly set up my home made coin photo booth which consisted of a piece of glass set upon four up turned wine glasses with a sheet of A4 white paper below it to give a white background. I made short work of the obverse and reverse photos and quickly downloaded them to my laptop, attached them to an email and mailed them off to my contacts. Noting the metal type, coin diameter and its weight.
Now it was time to sit back and wait for a reply regarding the coin’s identity. Wait was possibly the biggest understatement of the year. Wait I did, one day passed and then two days, then three and the week and nothing not a single reply not even with me checking my inbox almost every few hours or it seemed like I did!!
Then just over one week it happened, I remember it was a Tuesday morning, I opened my mail inbox and there it was. A mail from one of my contacts, I just stared for a few minutes and then hit open………….
There it was, a full written explanation of my coin and a note of how difficult it had been to track down and after reading through I could understand why. It excelled all my expeditions and today still stands as my oldest and most interesting coin find.
Here is the information I have been supplied concerning the coin.
A PRE IMPERIAL ROMAN BRONZE `AS` COIN
STRUCK : COLONIA VICTRIX JULIA LEPEDIA SPAIN CIRCA 44-36 BC
STATE: SPAIN (ROMAN PROVINCE OF HISPANIA TERRACONENSIS)
REIGN: PRE-IMPERIAL ISSUE
DENOMINATION: AS
MINT: COLONIA VICTRIX JULIA LEPIDA ( CEISA )
ISSUE DATE: CIRCA 44-36 BC
OBVERSE DESCRIPTION : FEMALE HEAD RIGHT
OBVERSE LEGEND: COL V IC IVL LEP
REVERSE DESCRIPTION: BULL STANDING RIGHT.HEAD FACING
REVERSE LEGEND: P R II VIR L NEP L SVR
Adrian – France.
