Rare Roman coins discovered by a metal detectorist in Huntingdonshire have gone on display in St Ives.

The Norris Museum has set up a  temporary exhibition called The Muddy Hoard to display the hoard which contains some 9.2k coins, across the reign of 14 emperors and one empress.

The Hunts Post: The Muddy Hoard exhibition is now open at the Norris Museum in St Ives.The Muddy Hoard exhibition is now open at the Norris Museum in St Ives. (Image: Ian Jackson, courtesy of Norris Museum.)

Given the quantity, composition, and quality of some of the coins, the museum says the hoard could be counted as one of the 10 most significant Roman coin hoards found in the UK, and it includes a previously unrecorded coin – a denarius of Emperor Tetricus I.

It is by far the most significant acquisition The Norris Museum has ever secured and fundraising for its permanent display has been set up in the museum's main gallery.

"The exhibition will evolve through its run, with live demonstrations of pottery reconstruction, talks about the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a celebration of archaeology, as well as ongoing conservation work, and research on the coins," said a spokesperson for the museum.

Details will be announced shortly of a full and diverse programme of events and activities to complement the exhibition, including lectures from specialists from The British Museum, heritage skills workshops, family events, and reenactors.

The Hunts Post: Christine Phillpotts, chair, of The St Ives Civic Society, at the exhibition.Christine Phillpotts, chair, of The St Ives Civic Society, at the exhibition. (Image: Ian Jackson, courtesy of the Norris Museum)

Key information about the Hoard:

The hoard of coins was discovered in May 2018 about nine miles north of Huntingdon (the exact location is confidential for security purposes) by a metal detectorist.

The Hunts Post: The coins in the ground where the detectorist discovered them.The coins in the ground where the detectorist discovered them. (Image: Bridget Smith)

 

An initial scatter of coins was reported to the local Finds Liaison Officer (as per best practice) the remaining hoard was excavated by them with an expert from the British Museum as part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

The coin hoard was discovered in two pottery vessels (one inside the other) and contained 9,274 coins.

The Hunts Post: The coin hoard was discovered in two pottery vessels.The coin hoard was discovered in two pottery vessels. (Image: Ian Jackson, courtesy of the Norris Museum.)

The hoard includes several rare coins, including two denarii of Gallienus and a previously unrecorded denarius of Tetricus I. The rest of the coins are ‘radiates’, the main denomination from the later Roman period, and an unusually high proportion of locally-minted coins (known as ‘barbarous radiates’) compared to similar hoards.

The museum is at 41 The Broadway, St Ives, PE27 5BX. Opening hours from Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm