Took me 3 hours to identify a single Roman coin

Found this crusty bronze coin at a dig site near Bath last weekend. Figured it was just another 4th century nummus. Spent 2 hours scrubbing it with distilled water and a soft brush. Still couldn't read the emperor's name. Had to use a magnifying lamp and compare it to about 40 reference photos online. Finally matched it to a Constantine II issue from 330 AD. Has anyone else spent way too long trying to ID a single artifact?

2 comments

2 Comments

murray.cole24d ago

Oh man, I spent FOUR hours once trying to figure out if a blob was a coin or just a rusty washer. Turns out it was a Roman coin too, but I'll never get those hours back.

oscarh1624d ago

That's called the hobby, man. The hunt is the whole point.