In the woods north of Warsaw, Poland, a father and son made an extraordinary discovery while on an outing with a local historical society. Sławomir Milewski and his son Szymon, members of the Polish treasure seekers’ association “Husaria”, found 17 ancient coins, dated between 1564 and 1641. Evaluated at around $120,000these coins represent not only an economic but also a historical treasure.
Originally, the group was exploring the area looking for traces of an ancient Roman road. However, metal detectors reported a surprise: a small buried treasure. The coins, nine thalers and eight patagonianscome from various European nations, offering a valuable overview of monetary circulation in the 17th century.
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Posted by Polskie Stowarzyszenie Poszukiwaczy “Husaria” on Sunday, November 3, 2024
A numismatic collection that tells the history of Europe
The coins found come from different political areas: some thalers were minted in Austria under the emperor Rudolf II in 1604, while others date back to the reigns of Frederick I and Leopold V. Two examples bear the mark of Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony, dated 1612 and 1624 respectively. Others come from German states, such as the Palatinate and Tyrol.
Only one thaler is attributed to the Polish king Sigismund IIIwhile all Patagonians are minted in the Spanish Netherlands, confirming the vast commercial and political interweaving of the time.
As observed by the “Husaria” association, many coins belong to the period of Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), a devastating conflict that involved much of Europe. During these years of instability, it was common practice to hide valuable possessions to protect them from looting and robbery. According to Mateusz Sygacz, one of the members of the association, the treasure may have been buried by a merchant visiting a nearby tavern.
One of the coins, minted in Zweibrücken, Germany, represents a rare example, as these thalers were made with unique patterns every year, making identification particularly complex.
The find sparked great enthusiasm among members of the history group, who gathered to admire the treasure. Despite not being numismatic experts, the participants underlined the historical and cultural value of the find, which testifies to the intense commercial activity and interconnection between European nations.
