Researchers found 592 silver denarii and 26 silver half-groschen coins placed on top of four gold ducats, wrapped in linen for protection and camouflage.
Bocheńskie Stowarzyszenie STATER/FacebookWojciech and Marek Budzin with a hoard of coins.
“The first signal was barely noticeable, but a second check with a more sensitive device showed that there might be something valuable in the ground,” says Wojciech Budzin.
Having dug about 30 cm deeper, the brothers extracted a clay vessel. Silver denarii were clearly visible inside through the layers of soil.
After a detailed analysis by specialists from the Krakow University AGH, it was discovered that the total number of coins is 622 pieces, dating back to the 15th century.
The finds include 592 silver denarii from the time of Casimir IV, 26 silver half-groschen of two types and 4 gold ducats minted under Sigismund of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of Hungary and Bohemia (1387–1437).
Of particular interest was the arrangement of the ducats: they were wrapped in linen, tied with rope and placed under a layer of silver coins.
Bocheńskie Stowarzyszenie STATER/FacebookSilver denarius from the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon.
Although the owner of the treasure remains unknown, historians associate the burial with the 15th century, the era of Bochnia's prosperity as a trading center. The expansion of borders and economic success under Casimir IV were accompanied by internal conflicts, which probably forced someone to hide the valuables.
Why the coins were not returned by the owner remains a mystery. They lay in the forest floor for six centuries until they were discovered by searchers.
After the research is completed, the artefacts will be transferred to the Stanisław Fischer Museum in Bochnia for display.
“It’s a matter of passion for history and preserving heritage,” said Marek Budzin. “We are pleased that the coins will become public property.”
If you are interested in the history of the Polish treasure, you can also learn about the Winged Hussars, the elite cavalry of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or about the little-known Battle of Wizna in 1939, where Polish defenders put up heroic resistance to the Nazis.
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