“A family accidentally discovers 1,500 medieval coins while excavating a new swimming pool.”
Photo Credit (Pixels)
An unexpected turn of events shocked the German family and the local council on what had started off as an enthusiastic day of preparation for their new in-ground pool.
Claus Völker discovered something strange while excavating a tunnel for the pool’s piping: tiny metal discs that were much more expensive than anyone had realized. Situated in the renowned silver mining region of Glottertal, close to Freiburg, Völker quickly realized he had discovered a gold mine of antiquated coins.
Völker contacted the local authorities after halting the excavation. A group of metal detector specialists then made the exciting discovery that 1,000 silver coins from the fourteenth century had been discovered. The team persevered in spite of the difficult weather and found an additional 500 coins, increasing the total number found to 1,500.
These coins, which were struck in Breisach, Zofingen, and Freiburg during 1320 CE, might have purchased 150 sheep back then, according to archeologist Andreas Haasis-Berner. The hoard also included coins from Basel, Zurich, and other surrounding areas. This find provides intriguing new light on the region’s medieval minting techniques and represents the biggest coin find in the area since 1949.
The discovery provides fresh insight into the history of the Black Forest, especially the significance of Glottertal as a center of medieval mining. Although the region was well-known for its mining, the discovery of coins adds a thrilling new chapter to its colorful history.
