Find Spot MPM44 - Roman Coin Hoard, Southsea

Hoard of approximately 927-50 Roman silver coins, found in a pottery vessel near the junction of Selsey Avenue and St George's Road, Southsea, in 1897. The hoard mainly dated to the mid-fourth century, although it contained a few earlier imperial denarii of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The coins ended up in three separate collections. The majority were kept by the finder, and 36 were purchased by the British Museum. The vessel and 63 of the coins were donated to Portsmouth Museum, but were lost when the museum was destroyed during Second World War bombing in 1940. A further 51 coins, which had originally been in the finders possession, were later donated to the museum in the 1950s (Accession No. 1954/15).

Hoard of approximately 950 fourth century silver coins. Date range 300-363AD, including issues of Constantine I, Crispus, Constantine II, Constans, Constantius II, Magnentius, Constantius Gallius, Julian II. Found near the junction of Selsey Avenue and St George's Road, Southsea in 1897. 43 coins are apparently held at the British Museum and 44 by Portsmouth Museum.

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Hoard of 927 Roman silver coins contained in a black pottery vessel, discovered by a Mr H.A. Evans while digging clay for brick-making in a field off Lumps Lane (now Eastern Parade) in the spring of 1897. The coins were declared treasure trove and sent to the British Museum, which purchased 36 of them. The remainder were returned to the finder, who presented 63, together with the pot in which they were found, to the Portsmouth Museum. The pot was 'of the usual black Roman pottery shape of a water carafe with narrow neck'. The hoard was situated in the top of the brick-earth/clay, 'just below the vegetable mound', only a few inches below the surface.

From Trajan to Aurelius the coins are denarii. From Constantine the Great to Julian II the denomination varies according to weight: Miliarensis (60 to 80 grs), Argenteus (40 to 50 grs) and Siliqua (25 to 35 grs).

Similar vessels, 'with more open top', thought to be cinerary urns, were found in the same field.

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51 coins that had originally been kept by the finder were donated to Portsmouth Museum in the 1950s and are held under the accession number 1954/15.

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<1> Portsmouth City Council, n/a, Portsmouth City SMR Cards, SZ69NE2 (Index). SPM1.

<2> Grueber, H.A, 1936, The Southsea Find of Fourth-Century Silver Coins (Bibliographic reference). SPM145.

<3> Portsmouth Museum Service, N/A, Portsmouth Museum Service Collections Database (Index). SPM424.