Ancient treasure found by the police in Alba Iulia after an investigation triggered by an internet post

The police in Alba, in collaboration with archaeologists from the National Museum of Unification, have discovered an ancient monetary hoard following an online investigation. The objects are said to come from the Dacian era, and an initial estimate shows that they are of great heritage value.

According to the Romanian Police, officers specializing in the protection of national cultural heritage from the Alba County Police Inspectorate opened an investigation into the possible discovery of a hoard, after a person's post was identified online, showing that in August this year he had found 22 ancient silver coins in a forest in Alba County, which he had handed over to local public administration representatives, in accordance with the law.

The person who made the initial discovery is a 27-year-old young man from Mures County, an authorized metal detectorist, who assisted the police and archaeologists in the discovery and documentation of the hoard.

On September 19, police officers, together with archaeological experts from the National Museum of Unification in Alba Iulia and the detectorist who had found the initial hoard, identified, in a forest in the locality of Jidvei, a monetary hoard.

This hoard, deposited in a bronze vessel, included coins of the tetradrachm type Macedonia Prima, made of silver (159-150 BC), Dacian Rădulești-Hunedoara drachms (3rd-2nd century BC), Roman denarii, and a Dacian iron fibula.

The 116 heritage objects have been deposited at the National Museum of Unification in Alba Iulia, where they are now being restored.

(Photo source: Romanian Police)