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Construction workers find 1,800-year-old treasure: Three full shells found at building site

During construction work at a residential building expansion site in Senon, located in the northeastern French region of Lorraine, workers discovered three ceramic jars containing over 40,000 Roman coins totaling approximately 88 kilograms. The coins, dating back around 1,800 years, were likely used as temporary storage for daily financial transactions, functioning like 'temporary banks.' Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) noted that the jars were intentionally placed in pits and secured with large stones. The coins, minted during the short-lived Gallic Empire under rulers such as Victorinus, Tetricus I, and Tetricus II, suggest a sophisticated financial system akin to modern banking. While similar archaeological finds have been made in the area before, this discovery provides clear evidence of organized cash-based economic activity. The site was once the center of the Celtic tribe Mediomatricus and nearby military camps suggest the funds may have been intended for soldier pay. The reasons behind the abandonment of such a large amount of money remain a mystery.