Historic hoard of coins dating back 2,000 years to go on display at Leeds City Museum after being dug up by builders
and live on Freeview channel 276
The historic coin caches were each thriftily buried underground for safe keeping, only to be discovered hundreds of years later and will illustrate the many different ways people have
secured their savings throughout human history.
The trio of hoards range from between around 470 and more than 2,000 years old and will be on display at Leeds City Museum as part of Money Talks, a new exhibition opening later
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They include the Boston Spa Hoard, made up of 172 silver denarii dating from around 119 BC to the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
On loan to Leeds from The Yorkshire Museum, they are thought to have been buried around the second century AD and were discovered during construction work in Boston Spa, having been carefully hidden there inside a ceramic jar.
Also on display will be the famous Cridling Stubbs Hoard, a remarkable stockpile of copper coins which may have been concealed by the owner inside a large jar in around AD 346 in a
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the Womersley parish of North Yorkshire in 1967.
They will be displayed alongside the Temple Newsam Hoard, a pot of 200 silver shillings and sixpences found by coal miners working on the estate in 1959. They were buried during the
English Civil War, most likely to keep them out of the hands of enemy soldiers. Another hoard from the same period was also found at Temple Newsam in 1905.
Kat Baxter, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of archaeology and numismatics, said: “Coin hoards really fire our imaginations because we can speculate about all sorts of
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“Although we can never know for sure how or why they came to buried, the likelihood is that whoever concealed them beneath the soil in the past did so in an attempt to keep their
precious money safe.
“It’s a fascinating step in our ever-evolving relationship with money and shows how collecting money and then keeping it secure in whatever way we can has been a common
thread throughout thousands of years of human history.”
As well as coin hoards, Money Talks will explore subjects including how money has been used in toys and play, the evolution of banking and different examples of currency used
around the world.
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Hide AdThis exhibition is sponsored by Leeds Building Society which was founded in 1875 by people working together to save and put home ownership within reach generation after
generation.
Coun Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “These coin hoards make for an enthralling story and demonstrate the
spectacular wealth of history buried beneath out feet in Leeds and Yorkshire.
“It’s inspiring to see an exhibition capture so many facets our relationship with money and for such a spectacular array of objects from the world class Leeds Museums and Galleries
collection be on display .”
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Hide AdMoney Talks opens at Leeds City Museum on Friday (February 11) and will be free to enter. For more details visit museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/events/leeds-city-museum/money-talksSupport the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United. With a digital subscription, you'll see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.