2,000-Year-Old Celtic Hoard Unearthed Beneath German Sports Field
Eleven ancient coins, identified as Prague-type quinarii, were discovered at a construction site, marking the largest known Celtic coin find of its kind in Thuringia.
Archaeologists have discovered a hoard of 11 ancient Celtic coins, dating back to the first century B.C., that had remained hidden for over two millennia beneath a former sports field in Thuringia, Germany. The find was announced by the Thuringian State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (TLDA).
The coins, identified as Prague-type quinarii, represent the largest known Celtic coin hoard of its period ever found in the region. Prior to this discovery, only about 80 examples of these quinarii had been documented in Thuringia, highlighting the significance of the Singen hoard.
Archaeologists, led by excavation director Ronny Krause, made the discovery during an investigation of the site on Singer Berg ahead of new fire station construction. Follow-up excavations in August 2026 confirmed the age and origin of the coins. The mint responsible for producing these coins is believed to have been located in the Gotha region to the northwest.
The coins were likely buried in a container made of organic material, which has since decomposed. It is believed that plowing over centuries scattered the coins across an area approximately 19 feet by 5 feet. Officials described the find as a "closed find," indicating that all coins originally interred together were recovered.
While the hoard consists of only 11 coins, archaeologists consider it a valuable source of information about the ancient world. Researchers can use such discoveries to draw conclusions about ancient trade routes and production centers, and the Singen hoard has significantly expanded existing knowledge in this area.
In addition to the Celtic coins, the excavation also uncovered an ancient Roman coin, a medieval glass bead, a knife fragment, another silver coin, and a Prussian uniform button dating from the 19th or 20th century. These additional artifacts provide further context to the site's history.
The TLDA emphasized the importance of preserving archaeological context, contrasting it with finds made through unauthorized metal detecting. The statement noted that such discoveries demonstrate the value of documented archaeological practices over unrecorded metal detection finds.
This discovery follows other significant metal detector finds in Germany and Europe, including a recent discovery of 934 Roman silver coins and a large Viking Age hoard in Finland containing thousands of coins and artifacts.