Found a roman coin in my backyard in Ohio of all places

I was digging a hole for a new fence post last summer in Columbus and my shovel hit something metal. Turned out to be a bronze coin from around 300 AD with Emperor Constantine on it. I have no idea how it ended up in the Midwest but I sent it to a local archaeologist at Ohio State and she confirmed it's real. She said it might have been brought over by a collector in the 1800s and lost or buried. Has anyone else found something ancient that just doesn't make sense geographically?

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morganj813mo ago

So did the archaeologist say if the coin showed any signs of being buried long term or could someone have dropped it there recently without noticing?

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evac723mo ago

Yeah the "dropped there recently" part is what I keep thinking about too. If it was just lying on the surface without any dirt or corrosion it could be a recent drop for sure. But from what I read about how coins react to soil and moisture even a few years in the ground can leave marks like pitting or discoloration. That's why I think the archaeologists are probably leaning toward it being buried for a while unless the coin was in a sealed container or something. Also if someone dropped it recently you'd think they'd notice it right away especially if the area sees a lot of foot traffic. So the wear pattern and any patina buildup would be the biggest clues either way.

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