The Wansdyke & District Forums

Out on permission near Pewsey on Saturday, lovely day for it. Got a cracking signal in the corner of a stubble field and this came up about six inches down. Roman by the look of it? Bit of green on it but the head shows up nice when you tilt it. First decent hammered ive had this year. Pics attached. Whats the verdict, anyone good with these?

Nice find, Pete. That is a Roman bronze, a nummus or small follis by the size, fourth century at a guess from the bust. The reverse will tell you more if you can get the dirt off carefully: soak it, do not scrub it. Have you logged it with the Finds Liaison Officer? ) https://finds.org.uk/) Even common Roman bronze is worth recording, it all adds to the distribution map, and yours is from a field that as far as I know has not produced before.

Cheers Col. Yes the FLO knows me well by now ha, ill book it in. Always record, thats the rule, otherwise youre just robbing the history arent you. Ive a mate who doesnt and i wont go out with him.

Good man. The recorded findspot is worth more than the coin, scientifically speaking. A scatter of fourth-century bronze in a field corner can mark a building, a shrine, a roadside halt. One coin is a curiosity; one coin properly plotted is a dot on a map that might one day join others. Well done for booking it in.