hoards Post Your British Roman Hoard Coins!

[John Conduitt]

On 7/1/2022 at 6:00 PM, maridvnvm said:

Langcroft Hoard

Is this Langcroft or Langtoft? (Langtoft A if it's Probus).

[maridvnvm]

Thanks. A typo that has proliferated through my records for years. It is Langtoft.

[John Conduitt]

Here are a couple from a recent hoard, found over several years scattered across a field.

Jovian Solidus, 363-364Constantinople. Gold, 21mm, 4.51g. Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust to right; D N IOVIA-NVS P F PERP AVG. Roma, holding spear, seated facing and supporting shield inscribed VOT V MVLT X in four lines with Constantinopolis, holding sceptre and seated to left with foot on prow; SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE; CONSP in exergue (RIC VIII, 170). From the West Norfolk Hoard 2020 (also known as Grimston), Portable Antiquities Scheme: NMS-669388 (Also: NMS-102704, NMS-963FF1, NMS-1A6962, NMS-488B7B).

 

Julian II Contemporary Imitation Siliqua, 361-363Imitating Arles. Silver, 16mm, 1.63g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N FL CL IVLIA-NVS P F AVG. VOT X MVLT XX within wreath, dot in medallion at top; CONS in exergue (cf RIC VIII, 312). From the West Norfolk/Grimston Hoard 2018. Portable Antiquities Scheme: NMS-963FF1.

Edited August 5, 2022 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

Here's an imitation from a hoard, which seems to have been rather common in the middle of the 4th century (such as in the Nether Compton Hoard).

Constans (or Constantine II/Constantius II) Contemporary Imitation AE12, 335-337Imitation of Lugdunum. Bronze, 12mm, 0.93g. Laureate or laurel and diademed, cuirassed bust right; CONSTAN(…). Two soldiers standing facing, heads towards each other, each holding inverted spear and resting hand on shield, standard between; (GLORIA EXERCITVS); PLG in exergue (Coin Hoards from Roman Britain, vol. X 699 (this coin)). From the Chapmanslade (Wiltshire) Hoard 1993.

[Furryfrog02]

Here is a coin from a hoard that hasn't been represented yet:
 

Braithwell Hoard, South Yorkshire

Tetricus I
273/274 ADAD
Antoninianus
Obverse: IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding long branch and cornucopiae

[John Conduitt]

11 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said:

Here is a coin from a hoard that hasn't been represented yet:
 

Braithwell Hoard, South Yorkshire

Tetricus I
273/274 ADAD
Antoninianus
Obverse: IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding long branch and cornucopiae

1,332 Gallic Empire coins, found 2002 https://finds.org.uk/database/hoards/record/id/2423.

Nice example. I don't think I've seen too many Hilaritas reverses.

Edited July 12, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Furryfrog02]

24 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

1,332 Gallic Empire coins, found 2002 https://finds.org.uk/database/hoards/record/id/2423.

Nice example. I don't think I've seen too many Hilaritas reverses.

I didn't have a Hilaritas reverse which is why I bought it 🙂

[kapphnwn]

This is as far as I can remember my only coin that I can say that is from a British hoard. However I cannot find anything about the find

Av Solidus of Constantine I Trier mint 314 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Emperor seated on curule chair. RIC 21 This coin referenced 4.47 grms 19 mm Pedigree Naville & Cie Ars Classica III Lot 190 June 16 1922  Ex Arthur  J. Evans Collection Winchester trove 1879

As mentioned before I cannot find out anything on the Winchester Hoard of 1879 if it even is one. 

[Al Kowsky]

Looks like I'm late to the party, oh well 🙄....

[John Conduitt]

9 hours ago, kapphnwn said:

Ex Arthur  J. Evans Collection Winchester trove 1879

I wonder if 'Winchester Trove' means something other than a hoard? Maybe they sold off some of the collections of the College or the Cathedral.

You can't get a much better provenance than Arthur J Evans. As an academic, he may have had connections at the College.

[John Conduitt]

Half of all Roman hoards found in Britain – over 600 – come from the late 200s, a huge number of which were buried in the 270s. They usually contain a large number of coins. But the debased issues don't often fare well in the ground, particularly if they were scattered, so you don't get so many collected or posted to forums.

Tetricus I Antoninianus, 271-274Cologne?. Debased silver, 16-18mm, 1.80g. Bust of Tetricus I, radiate, cuirassed, right; IMP (TETR)ICVS P F AVG. Laetitia, draped, standing left, holding wreath in right hand and baton or anchor in left hand; LAETITIA AVG N (RIC V, 90). From the Oliver's Orchard (Essex) Hoard, 6,124 antoniniani buried in several pots in the middle of the Iron Age and Roman complex at Gosbecks near Colchester from 269-274. They were found in 1983 while a farmer was preparing a field for sweetcorn. Find spot record MCC7765.

Edited July 18, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Harry G]

Here's one of my UK hoard coins. I was supposed to post it on this thread ages ago, but it looks like I forgot. Oops.

Probus Antoninianus, Lugdunum - TEMPR (sic!) FELICI. Ex. Linchmere Hoard (1924)

This coin was actually misdescribed in the hoard report, as having the correct TEMPOR FELICI spelling. However, the auction provenance I've found for it proves it's from The Linchmere Hoard. https://www.lawrences.co.uk/sales/fine-art-sales/fc270521/view-lot/888/

[John Conduitt]

Galba Denarius, 68-69Rome. Silver, 16x17mm, 3.03g. Bare head of Galba right; IMP SER GALBA AVG. Oak wreath, S P Q R, OB C S (RIC I, 167). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016, Portable Antiquities Scheme: SOM-F1847A.

 

Vitellius Denarius, 69Rome. Silver, 18x20mm, 3.08g. Laureate head right; A VITELLIVS GERMAN IMP TR P. Victory seated left, holding patera in right hand and palm branch in left; no legend (RIC I, 88). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016, Portable Antiquities Scheme: SOM-F1847A.

Edited August 5, 2022 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

A couple more from the Vale of Pewsey Hoard. It was such a good hoard it made me somewhat complacent about finding great examples of any late emperor!

Eugenius Siliqua, 392-394Trier. Silver, 1.72g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N EVGENI-VS P F AVG. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding reversed spear and Victoriola on globe; VIRTVS RO-MANORVM; TR PS in exergue (RIC IX, 106(d); Ghey 78, this coin). From the Vale of Pewsey Hoard 2020, Portable Antiquities Scheme: BM-7D34D9.

 

Theodosius I Siliqua, 388-392

Treveri. Silver, 1.68g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding reversed spear and Victoriola on globe; VIRTVS RO-MANORVM; TRPS in exergue (RIC IX, 94b). From the Vale of Pewsey (Wiltshire) Hoard 2020, Portable Antiquities Scheme: BM-7D34D9.

Edited August 5, 2022 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

Thruxton: another hoard of late siliquae, most of which were mangled by ploughing. The hoard is thought to have been buried early in the range (between 395 and 402) because none of the coins are clipped, as they would have been if they'd been used by the invading Saxons.

Arcadius Siliqua, 392-395Treveri. Silver, 17mm, 1.34g. Pearl-diademed draped and cuirassed bust right; DN ARCADI-VS PF AVG. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and inverted spear; VIRTVS RO-MANORVM; mintmark TRPS (RIC IX, 106b (sceptre)). From the Thruxton (Hampshire) Hoard 2014. Portable Antiquities Scheme: GLO-9D7F36.

 

Valens Siliqua, 367-375Treveri. Silver, 17mm, 1.95g. Pearl-diademed draped and cuirassed bust facing right; D N VALEN S P F AVG. Roma seated left on cuirass holding spear and Victory on globe; VRBS ROMA (RIC IX, 46a.2). From the Thruxton (Hampshire) Hoard 2014. Portable Antiquities Scheme: GLO-9D7F36.

Edited August 5, 2022 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

A less well recorded hoard found just after WW2. Several coins (including this) were sold in 1971 as being from the Newmarket Hoard, which doesn't exist. 6 miles north at the smaller village of Freckenham, a hoard had been found with rather similar components to this 'Newmarket Hoard'.

Constantius Gallus (as Caesar) Follis, 351-354Bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right; DN FL CL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES. Helmeted, draped and cuirassed soldier advancing left, right knee raised, spearing fallen horseman with right hand and wearing shield on left arm; shield on ground to right; horseman wearing a Phrygian cap, falling forward, clutching horse's neck; S in left field; FEL TEMP RE-PARATIO (RIC VIII, 268). Thought to be from the Freckenham (Suffolk) Hoard 1948, a narrow-necked brick red jar found after deep ploughing containing 525 bronze coins dated 306 to 361, some of which were barbarous. Portable Antiquities Scheme: IARCH-C9D277.

Edited August 6, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Etcherdude]

I’m fascinated with the geometrically abstract seated victory on your Valens siliqua @John Conduitt.

[DonnaML]

@John Conduitt, your list of hoards represented in this thread is quite interesting. To the best of your knowledge, is the East Harptree Hoard the earliest-discovered British hoard from which coins still sometimes appear on the market?

[John Conduitt]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

@John Conduitt, your list of hoards represented in this thread is quite interesting. To the best of your knowledge, is the East Harptree Hoard the earliest-discovered British hoard from which coins still sometimes appear on the market?

There are very many known hoards that were found earlier, but I haven't seen any coins appear on the market from 99% of them. I presume this is because the coins are being sold but the provenance has been lost.

But East Harptree was 1887, which is actually not that early. I have coins from the Whitchurch Hoard, found 1869, and the Falmouth Hoard, found 1865 (Lord Stewartby's collection included a large proportion that was sold by Silbury Coins not long ago). Victor Clark recently won a number of coins from the 1833 Mildenhall (Suffolk) Hoard, which he has been selling.

Edited August 6, 2022 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

Here is my Falmouth coin...

Constantius I as Augustus Follis, 305-306Londinium. Bronze, 27mm, 9.50g. Laureate, cuirassed bust right; IMP CONSTANTIVS P F AVG. Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae; GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI (RIC VI, 52a). Ex Lord Stewartby. From the Falmouth (Cornwall) Hoard 1865. Two labourers ploughing a field discovered 600-1000 3rd-4th century bronze coins. They were surrounded by black material that crumbled in their hands. The Christie’s catalogue in 1970 listed 584 coins ‘The Property of Mrs Janet MK Fox of Falmouth...all in a rather corroded state and stacked in neat rows.’

Edited August 6, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Curtis JJ]

Discussed Below: Wareham (1994) ; Dorchester (1936) ; Normanby (1985) ; Langtoft B (2000).

This is a great thread! I’m glad the new ones bumped it back up, or I might’ve never seen this.

As you and Donna commented, collecting hoards and provenance always raises issues of evidence and its interpretation. (I’m not citing the sources, but it's a topic with which I'm apparently fascinated.... I have a mini bibliography on precisely this topic – if anyone’s interested.)

On 6/29/2022 at 4:01 PM, John Conduitt said:

For me, provenance is often the most important feature of a coin. It’s how the coin connects us to our past. Hoards in particular have a provenance that goes all the way back to the original owners. The context of the find can be as interesting as the coin and tells us about the people that actually used them.

On 6/29/2022 at 4:43 PM, DonnaML said:

Although I sometimes do wonder if any of those dealers are able to provide proof that their coins really do come from that hoard. I happen to be fortunate that my coin is clearly visible in one of the lot photos from that sale. Many claimed East Harptree hoard coins are not. 

On 6/29/2022 at 5:10 PM, John Conduitt said:

[...] I've become increasingly sceptical about coins claiming to be from hoards that don't have provenance back to the original sale. While many of them are probably genuine, a few incidents recently have made me think some finders are bulking up their 'hoards' with unassociated coins. The resellers don't always check too thoroughly or simply accept that all the coins came from the hoard. [...] Anything else should be described as 'purportedly from the hoard'.

Limiting it to British hoards of RIC, I have coins or groups that fall into each of these categories of evidence: (textual) “documentary evidence”; “hearsay evidence” (“reportedly”); and “circumstantial evidence.” I don’t think I have any with “photographic evidence” (e.g., illustrations in a hoard report).

Those are qualitative categories; none is inherently stronger than the others (e.g., strong circumstantial evidence can outweigh weak photographic), though there are certainly tendencies toward some being stronger.

WAREHAM HOARD, 1994 (DORSET, UK): Seven (7) Philip I Antoniniani. [VERY HIGH CONFIDENCE; Strong documentary evidence, hearsay provenance]

Purchased from Belgian coin dealer Rudi Smits (Antwerp, d. 21 Mar 2014) 9 months before he died. They went unsold at an auction site he was starting with a young American dealer (RCA - Roman Coin Auctions [9 Jun 2013], #85 - 91). I was consigning and talking about the business with them regularly. So, I bought the group for ~$25 each (I think). The auction venture must’ve died with Rudi.

Here are three:

Most of the hoard wasn’t photographed, but was described in detail in CHRB X (1997, chapter by Cheesman & Bland). (The Numismatic Chronicle, Spink 110 catalog, and PAS entry are valuable sources, but without sufficient detail to identify single specimens.)

Most of my coins’ RIC numbers had only one specimen and, thankfully, weights were given to 0.01g for all. Mine were correct within +/- 0.01g in almost every case. (I believe coin #7’s weight was inadvertently switched with a highly similar type.) Below, the weights in brackets are those given in CHRB X:

(1) RIC 40b (Wareham #160, p. 222): 3.87g [3.88g reported]; (2) RIC 59 (Wareham #172, p. 223): 4.18g [4.18g]; (3) RIC 9 (Wareham #176, p. 223): 4.35g [4.34g]; (4) RIC 32b (Wareham #157, p.222): 4.00g [3.99g]; (5) RIC  27b (Wareham #165, p. 223); 4.30g [1 of 2, both 4.28g]; (6) RIC 31 (Wareham #163, p. 222); 3.33g [3.34g]; (7) RIC 6 (Wareham #170, p. 223); 3.42g [listed as 3.27g, weight apparently switched with #179 [3.42g], a coin of similar legend & catalog no.).

That degree of accuracy would be implausible by chance, or even by deception (i.e., finding coins with matching weights and types). So, in this case, I consider the combination of “hearsay provenance” and “documentary evidence” to be very strong.

 

DORCHESTER, 1936 & KEN BRESSETT COLL.: Six (6) Antoniniani of Gordian III (1) & Philip I (5). [PRETTY HIGH CONFIDENCE; Strong hearsay, moderate circumstantial]

“The Great Dorchester Hoard of 1936,” as Mattingly called it in his 1939 Numismatic Chronicle article (on JSTOR, or lower-quality .pdf on Archive), is still one of the largest ever found in Britain: 20,748 coins cataloged by the British Museum (plus c. 1,000 not cataloged). Most were never individually described or photographed. 

Mine were all common types. For Gordian III: Cohen 299 = 128 specimens. For Philip I: Cohen 9 = 526 specimens (I got 3); Cohen 25 = 411 specimens; and Cohen 215 = 167 specimens. Naturally, given those numbers, I couldn’t believe Mattingly’s three plates didn’t illustrate even one of my six specimens!

So I have Ken Bressett’s word (or CNG’s report of it) to go on. But he didn’t dig them up. They were reported to him as ex-Dorchester by Joe Powers, from whom he bought a hefty group c. 1950. (In my provenance research I found that Joseph Powers was an active member [along with Arthur Dewing, James F. Clapp, Earl Tuttle, et al.] of the storied Boston Numismatic Society, c. 1950s-1960s. He appears regularly in their proceedings.)

One of my other Bressett provenances (see linked ACSearch comment) proved erroneous, which hurt my confidence. Where else to turn?

Circumstantial evidence: Most had very distinctive red encrustations. They turned out to be a good thing: I've seen those same red encrustations on many others reportedly ex-Dorchester.

I think the chances are very high that they’re as described, but I can’t be certain, especially not that an intruder or two might’ve accidentally slipped in over the decades.

 

NORMANBY HOARD, 1985: Nine (9) AE Radiates of Tetricus I (8) & Tetricus II (1). [MODEST CONFIDENCE; Hearsay, mild circumstantial]

These AE radiates came in a larger group lot from Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 2 and included no further provenance. Two years later, the consignor let me know the coins had been theirs, and they’d been told “many years ago” the coins were ex-Normanby.

These are the right kind of coins for Normanby, and they look like a lot of the Normanby Tetrici. So do a lot of other coins. The consignor didn’t suggest it as a “belief,” but simply information passed along, which is how I take it, and will pass it along. (In previous generations, provenance was much less of a concern, and much less commercially valuable, so it was often only preserved by word of mouth, just like this. But the information could easily become corrupted over years and generations.)

 

LANGTOFT B (LANGTOFT II), 2000: Crispus AE3 (No. 21, 1 of 3? And DNW 53 [2002], Lot 62 [part]?). [SPECULATIVE; Circumstantial]

I recently bought this rare(ish) London mint Crispus “Captives” AE3 from CNG’s sale of the DiMarzio Londinium Collection because it fit my Roman “Barbarians, Captives, and Enemies” collection and “plate coins” collection (in Cloke & Toone; also ex-collection of the authors). They purchased it from Dei Gratia coins at a York coin fair in 2010. No prior provenance. (Coin-in-hand video.)

The Langtoft B coins were sold at Dix Noonan Webb Auction 53 in 2002, including the three coins of Crispus type RIC 188 sold in Lot 62.

Why do I think it was Langtoft B, then? And from the DNW 53 sale?

ENTIRELY circumstantial:

Type: It’s a rare type, so there just aren’t that many of them out there (but there are others), and even fewer in this condition (like many Langtoft Constantinian AE3s). There were three of them in Langtoft B (see CHRB XII [2009], Barclay, Holmes, and McCartney [No. 21, one of 3]). That’s enough to substantially bump up the total known population.

Appearance: The distinctive patina (and state of wear and results of conservation process) are highly consistent with that of other Crispus (e.g., #1 and #2) and AE Folles (see esp. CNG EA 242 [2010], 370) on the market.

Timing: After an initial wave of sales, c. 2002-3, ACSearch records indicate the next major period of dispersal c. 2010, presumably one big buyer from DNW 53 who unloaded them in 2010 (which is when Cloke or Toone bought it).

[Zach “Beast” Beasley also has many Constantinian AE3s from Langtoft B, most or all via Tony Laverack (some after Steve Santore) ex DNW.]

In sum, I can’t realistically describe this coin as ex-Langtoft B, 2000 Hoard, No. 21 (one of 3) and/or ex DNW 53 (13 Mar 2002), Lot 62. But if I had to make my best educated guess? I’d give this coin over a 50% chance of it. There’s a good chance that other circumstantial evidence will come to light to bolster or refute that theory. Until then, I just add everything to my “provenance file” and wait.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Curtis JJ

[John Conduitt]

Fantastic additions.

1 hour ago, Curtis JJ said:

collecting hoards and provenance always raises issues of evidence and its interpretation

Yes, there are many shades of certainty. Short of digging them up yourself, there is always doubt.

 

1 hour ago, Curtis JJ said:

Most had very distinctive red encrustations

Mine from this hoard don't have the distinctive red encrustations. They have greens and browns instead! Presuming, though, that yours are circumstantially linked to others in the hoard, and mine came via Ken Bressett/Joe Powers too, that is also circumstantial evidence... 😉

Otacilia Severa (6th emission of Philip I) Antoninianus, 247Rome, 4th officina. Silver, 22mm, 3.55g. Draped bust right, wearing stephane and set on crescent. Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopia (RIC IV, Philip I, 125c). Ex Ken Bressett. From the Dorchester (Dorset) Hoard 1936. Portable Antiquities Scheme: IARCH-5E5FEF.

 

Philip I Antoninianus, 246Rome, 5th officina. Silver, 23mm, 4.31g. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Annona standing left, holding cornucopia and grain ears over modius to left (RIC IV, 28c). Ex Ken Bressett. From the Dorchester (Dorset) Hoard 1936. Portable Antiquities Scheme: IARCH-5E5FEF.

 

1 hour ago, Curtis JJ said:

The consignor didn’t suggest it as a “belief,” but simply information passed along, which is how I take it, and will pass it along.

Yes passing it along in the exact way we receive it is essential, I think. I could easily edit any notes to say 'from a hoard' instead of 'was told this might be from a hoard', but actually the latter carries more weight, because it sounds genuine.

 

1 hour ago, Curtis JJ said:

I can’t realistically describe this coin as ex-Langtoft B, 2000 Hoard

That would be a stretch. But coins can look right for a hoard. I can separate out all the East Harptree and Nether Compton coins that appear in every CNG auction by sight 🤣

 

 

(List of hoards updated)

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Curtis JJ]

Very cool to know that you got some of those Bressett Dorchesters too! I couldn't believe (it never ceases to amaze me) that there wasn't more of a "pedigree premium," at least on the common ones I was bidding on. After all, Bressett has been a big name in American and British numismatics for decades, so, combined with a credible report of an important hoard, I expected I would have to fight to get one or two.

53 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

But coins can look right for a hoard. I can separate out all the East Harptree and Nether Compton coins that appear in every CNG auction by sight

Indeed -- at least with Harptrees -- that very distinctive look registers instantly! (Then again, I wonder if that's where many of them picked up the label. I see the same thing with Roman AV Aureii described as "Boscoreale hoard of 1895" based on toning. Not that I doubt it, just want to know where the info comes from.)

A few of my Greek ones have some kind of original hoard tag, and a few are illustrated in reports. Most are "reportedly" (but often they don't say who reported it or how!).

For others, they say nothing at all about "how they know," not even "reportedly." One of my pseudo Rhodian Greek Drachms ("Hermias" type, 3rd Macedonian War) was sold by CNG at least three times (2011, 2017, and 2021). The second two times they called it as Ex "Larissa, 1968 ("Sitochoro") Hoard (IGCH 237)," but not the first time!

Was it because in 2017 and 2021 they knew the original 2011 sale was from one of the later dispersals of that hoard? (It was still happening then.) Or did they see the unpublished hoard photos by MJ Price? (That's plausible.) Or was the 2017 cataloger was a bit lax and it stuck in 2021? I actually am confident it's from the 1968 hoard (they almost all are), but it's the quality of the information source that matters (especially since CNG sells many others as only "reportedly" from the same hoard, or with no comment).

It drives me crazy that those things go without comment. (An extra sentence in an e-auction doesn't cost much.) Almost as much finding that previous collectors have discarded all the old tags and provenance documentation from generations of past collectors.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Curtis JJ

[John Conduitt]

8 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

I couldn't believe (it never ceases to amaze me) that there wasn't more of a "pedigree premium,"

I haven't yet worked out what the premium is. Some hoards and pedigrees seem to have no premium but others do. It might be so marginal as to not notice in the usual fluctuation in prices.

8 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

that very distinctive look registers instantly! (Then again, I wonder if that's where many of them picked up the label. I see the same thing with Roman AV Aureii described as "Boscoreale hoard of 1895" based on toning. Not that I doubt it, just want to know where the info comes from.)

As I understand it, the red toning on gold coins from Boscoreale is dependent on rather specific conditions i.e. being near Vesuvius when it erupted. Whether no other coin could've toned similarly with a different source of heat, I don't know. But if there was a large hoard of gold coins of that era with that toning, it would be odd for any similar coin that showed up not to be from that hoard.

The good thing about East Harptree is that you can find your coin in the original Spink sale, as DonnaML has done. Despite being discovered in 1887, it was only sold in 2016, so it's online. There are likely many coins from the hoard that weren't in that sale, but you don't have to worry someone is selling a coin on the basis that it looks right.

Valentinian I Siliqua, 364-367Rome mint, 4th officina. Silver, 17mm, 2.01g. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; D N VALENTINI ANVS P F AVG. Roma enthroned left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and inverted spear with left; VRBS ROMA ; R Q in exergue (RIC IX, 11a.3). From the East Harptree (Somerset) Hoard 1887. Ex Lot 2899, Spink Auction 16006.

8 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

Or was the 2017 cataloger was a bit lax and it stuck in 2021?

That is a bit odd, not least because the first reference is 'Price, Larissa, pl. LV, 247'. I mean, is it in there or not?

8 hours ago, Curtis JJ said:

It drives me crazy that those things go without comment.

It does sometimes feel like many sellers don't think it's important or that it's worth maintaining the historical record. There's rarely any paperwork. eBay is full of 'detector finds' with no mention of where, when or by who. Either they're fakes, or smuggled hoards they're not meant to sell, or the seller feels they need to hide their source. When I ask, sometimes they happily divulge the information, as if they're surprised I want to know. They wouldn't have told me otherwise and another provenance would be lost.

Luckily, new hoards are usually photographed, either by the dealer, auction house or PAS. I've noticed PAS are increasingly trying to photograph every coin, even if it's a big hoard, and even if they have to photograph the whole hoard in one shot. That works as you can identify coins from the photos, as long as the resolution isn't terrible. This is their attempt at the Vale of Pewsey Hoard. Ok, they're all on Noonans website anyway, but I can identify my coins from this photo.

But how can you maintain the record of say, the Rauceby Hoard, which the finders are selling on eBay (amongst other places)? eBay doesn't keep the photos posted for long, so very soon you're relying on the paper record and hearsay again.

Edited August 6, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Victor_Clark]

1 hour ago, John Conduitt said:

But how can you maintain the record of say, the Rauceby Hoard, which the finders are selling on eBay (amongst other places)? eBay doesn't keep the photos posted for long, so very soon you're relying on the paper record and hearsay again.

 

"Please note that this hoard [Rauceby Hoard] was excavated; a full report on the excavations is held by the Historic Environment Record, Lincoln."

https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/857468