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Father-Son Metal Detectorists Stumble on 'Priceless' Treasure Trove in Poland, Experts Say Value Is 'Indescribable'

The father-son duo were wandering around the area with their team, looking for the remains of a Roman road, when they unearthed the coins.
UPDATED NOV 21, 2024
Antique, silver, and gold coins in a ceramic bowl. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Mario Marco)
Antique, silver, and gold coins in a ceramic bowl. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Mario Marco)

A father-son duo made a stunning discovery in Poland surprising everyone. They unearthed a treasure trove of 17 rare historic coins near Pomiechówek, a village in the Mazovia region, Newsweek reported. The collection's value has been estimated to be around half a million Polish zlotys—equivalent to roughly over $122,000.

Antique silver and gold coins in a ceramic bowl (Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by 	Mario Marco)
Antique silver and gold coins in a ceramic bowl (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Mario Marco)

Sławomir and Szymon Milewski are the father-son duo who made this discovery, Smithsonian Magazine reported. The duo has been long-time members of the Polish "Husaria" Treasure Hunters Association. They were wandering around the area with their team, looking for the remains of a Roman road, when they unearthed the coins. According to the organization, the whereabouts of the road remain a mystery.

The father-son duo have had considerable experience as metal detectorists and therefore did not take long to recognize the artifacts as silver coins, Smithsonian Magazine reported. A closer examination clarified its historical significance for experts.

The father-son duo stumbled on the coins during the search and later called the entire team, ATI reported. "At first, there was a great noise, because everyone who participated in the search—and there were a dozen of us—came running at the call of the discoverers," Mateusz Sygacz of the Polish Treasure Hunters Association remembered. "We all realized that we had discovered something incredible." The team found 17 coins in the area. 

Metal detector coil, shovel and legs of a man looking for treasure - stock photo (Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by 	Nikolay Ponomarenko)
A man looking for treasure(Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Nikolay Ponomarenko)

The coins were taken for analysis and it was revealed that they came from a variety of locations, ATI reported. Some places of origin included the District of Tyrol, the Spanish Netherlands, Prussia, the Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, Austria, and Saxony. Many coins were precious, like the 1630 Sigismund III Vasa Thaler coin.

"We were rubbing our eyes in disbelief," Piotr Duda, an archaeologist with the Triglav Historical and Research Association exclaimed. "This is probably one of the largest finds of its kind ever discovered in Poland, and certainly in Mazovia. The historical significance is beyond measure, and its estimated material value is half a million złotys."

The Polish Association of Prospectors described the hoard as "priceless," Newsweek reported. Experts called it "indescribable," considering its origin and value. "This is probably one of the largest treasures of this type discovered so far in Poland, and certainly in Mazovia. Yes, in recent years, deposits of coins from various historical eras have emerged, but not from the 16th and 17th centuries," Duda shared.

According to researchers, the hoard is valued at around 500,000 zł ($1,22,366.76) ATI reported. Analysis also disclosed that the coins belonged to the 16th and 17th centuries. Researchers are yet to understand how the coins reached the forest.

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