A group of metal detectors scanning the forest near Noyorida, western Romania, have discovered a massive hoard of coins from the early 16th century buried in a ceramic vessel. Raul Vlad Suta held a detector in his hands, which was the first to signal the presence of a treasure. He dug in the topsoil and found a small silver coin, followed by two more. The rest of the group set to work and, after digging a few more coins at a shallow depth, collided with the mouth of the ship. They dug around it until it was removed.
Romanian law requires metal detectors to report any find to the local municipality or museum within 72 hours. The group handed over the treasure to Mayor Neyorid’s office and then worked with the city council to seize and identify the coins.
They counted approximately 4,868 coins (some stuck together due to corrosion, making counting difficult) of the Hungarian dinar minted during the reign of Vladislav II, King of Bohemia (1471–1516), Hungary and Croatia (1490–1516). There are also three large silver thalers weighing 30 grams each and four coins of medium diameter, which have not yet been identified. In total, the pot and coins weigh 4.5 kg (10 lb). The coins alone weigh about three kilograms (6.6 pounds).
The treasure is state property under Romanian treasure laws and is intended for the museum, but metal detectors who find it are entitled to a reward of 30-45% of the treasure’s market value, as determined by the official valuation.
