When his metal detector spotted the first coin, Oliver Riedl knew he had uncovered something special; removing the surrounding earth revealed a small, rounded piece of silver—obviously ancient—that had likely remained hidden here for centuries.
The coin, an example of Roman denarii, isn’t necessarily an uncommon find in parts of Europe that once formed the greater Roman Empire, but they are still highly sought after by collectors. Had it been the only object Riedl uncovered that day, it still would have made his outing worthwhile.
But then, his metal detector began beeping again.
Soon, another coin was uncovered, then another. And then another. And another.
Riedl, an authorized metal detectorist legally searching for such ancient artifacts, had already found 15 Roman denarii in the field near Wesseling, south of Cologne, where his searching that day began. But his metal detector continued to beep as it registered more hits nearby.
How many more of these ancient coins might there be? Rather than continuing to dig, Reidl, now suspecting a much more significant find, decided to contact archaeologists.
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