Report for H M Coroner Treasure Number: 2018T677 Find Spot: to be known as: ‘Near Cookley’, Suffolk PAS Database number : SF-FF2FDE Period : Roman Finder: Mr Paul Montgomery Date of Discovery : 19/8/2018 Circumstances of discovery : The 'near Cookley' hoard was discovered on the 19th of August 2018 by Mr [name redacted], metal detecting on a cultivated field with the landowner’s permission. He initially discovered 12 silver denarii, and on returning to the field the next day dug out another 48 from some depth- apparently around 18 inches. The initial finds were spread 'a few yards', but those recovered deeper appear to have been unfortunately dug out of an archaeological context. No pottery sherds were observed by the finder, and thus it seems probable that the coins were buried in an organic container that had since disintegrated. The closely packed nature of the coins is demonstrable by the base-metal traces that have leached to the surfaces of the coins during burial and mutually encrusted/stained each other. Having recovered what appeared to be all the coins, the finder reported the hoard on the 22nd of August and transported it to the SCCAS offices on the 5th of September, where they were identified and a report written. Description : The hoard consists of 60 denarii dating from 153 BC to AD 60–1. Of the coins, 58 appear to be solid silver and 2 are silver-plated copies with iron or ferrous metal cores. Summary : Republic (pre 27 BC) 40 Augustus 8 Tiberius 9 Caligula 2 Nero 1 Discussion : The 'near Cookley' hoard is in many ways comparable to others found in East Anglia, containing (as with the 'Wymondham hoard'-NMS-A6F891, 'South Norfolk' hoard- NMS-00AFB2 and 'North Suffolk' hoard-SF-413CE5) quantities of Augustan, Tiberian, 'legionary' type denarii and earlier Republican issues dating as far back as the mid/late 2nd century BC. However, in contrast to the two aforementioned Norfolk hoards, this example contains no Iron Age coinage. The closing of this hoard with a coin of Nero dated to AD 60– 1 seems relatively unusual, a feature mirrored in the South Warwickshire I hoard (PAS- 054C37) that appears to have been deposited in or after AD 64. It has been observed that hoards seem to be buried relatively soon after their latest coin, and indeed given the closing of this hoard at this point it is tempting (as discussed in the two Norfolk hoards listed above) to link this act with the Boudiccan revolt of AD 60/61. In addition to this, the 'near Cookley' hoard was not isolated; it was discovered a relatively short distance from another Roman coin hoard discovered in this parish (see SF-1FC3B8, 2017 T720 ). This first find consisted of 13 denarii discovered during the course of archaeological investigation, 12 of which are Republican issues dating from 122 BC and closing with a 'CL CAESARES' denarius of Augustus (2BC-AD4) which infers a closing date of AD 4 or later. Recommendation: These 60 coins, being of the same denomination, buried together originally and comprising a fairly typical composition for contemporary early Roman coin hoards, clearly were deposited together in or shortly after AD 60 and as such are demonstrably part of the same find. As such, they qualify as Treasure under the Treasure Act (1996), being of precious metal, clearly associated with each other, of a number greater than 2 and dating to pre 1718. Alex Bliss SCCAS December 2018 (Amended by Dr Eleanor Ghey, Curator: Iron Age and Roman Coin Hoards, The British Museum 23.1.19) Catalogue in reverse chronological order (by Alex Bliss): Imperial issues 1. A silver denarius of Nero (AD 54-68) dating to c. AD 60–1 (Reece period 2). Obverse: NERO CAESAR AVG IMP, bare-headed bust right. Reverse: PONT[IF MAX TR] P VII COS IIII P P, oak-wreath enclosing inscription EX SC. Mint of Rome. RIC vol. I, p. 151, no. 22. Diameter: 18.36g. Weight: 3.71g. Die axis: 4. 2. A silver denarius of Gaius (Caligula) (AD 37-41) dating to c. AD 37-38 (Reece period 1). Obverse: C CAESAR AVG GERM [P M] TR POT, laureate head of Caligula right. Reverse: GERMANICVS CAES P C CAES AVG GERM, bare-headed bust of Germanicus right. Mint of Rome. RIC vol. I, p. 109, no. 18. Die axis: 12. 3. A silver denarius of Gaius (Caligula), dating to c. AD 37-38 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [C CAES]AR AVG GERM PM TR POT, bare head of Caligula right. Reverse: DIVVS AVG PATER PATRIAE, radiate bust of the deified Augustus right. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 108, no. 10. Diameter: 18.55mm. Weight: 3.18g. Die axis: 4. 4. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right. Reverse: PONTIF MAXIM, Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 30. Diameter: 18.88mm. Weight: 3.78g. Diameter:19.22mm. Weight: 3.56g. Die axis: 6. 5. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: TI CAESAR DIVI [AVG F AVG]VSTVS, laureate bust right. Reverse: [PONTIF] MAXIM, Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 30. Diameter:17.53mm. Weight: 3.68g. Die axis: 10. 6. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [TI CA]ESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTV[S], laureate bust right. Reverse: PONTIF M[AXIM], Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 28 or 30. Diameter:18.79mm. Weight: 3.75g. Die axis: 1. 7. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: TI CA[ESAR DIVI AV]G F AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right. Reverse: PONTIF MAXIM, Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 30. Diameter:20.51mm. Weight: 3.82g. Die axis: 9. 8. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: TI CAESAR DIVI [A]VG F AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right. Reverse: PONTIF MAXIM, Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 30. Diameter:18.68mm. Weight: 3.27g. Die axis: 5.5. 9. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [TI] CAESAR DIVI AV[G F AVGVSTVS], laureate bust right. Reverse: PONTIF [MAXIM], Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 28. Diameter:17.51mm. Weight: 3.59g. Die axis: 10. 10. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [TI CAES]AR DIVI [AVG F AVGVSTVS], laureate bust right. Reverse: PO[NTIF] MAXIM, Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 30. Diameter:17.96mm. Weight: 3.64g. Die axis: 6. 11. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [TI CAES]AR DIVI [A]VG F AVGV[STVS], laureate bust right. Reverse: [P]ON[TIF MAXI], Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 26-30. Diameter:19.51mm. Weight: 3.22g. Die axis: 6.5. This coin is quite heavily encrusted with corrosion products. 12. A silver denarius of Tiberius (AD 14-37) dating to c. AD 14-37 (Reece period 1). Obverse: TI [CAES]AR DIVI [AVG F AVG]V[STVS], laureate bust right. Reverse: [P]ON[TIF MAXI], Pax/Livia seated right, holding branch. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 95, no. 26. Diameter:17.77mm. Weight: 3.57g. Die axis: 3.5. This coin is quite heavily encrusted with corrosion products. 13. A silver denarius of Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) dating to c. 2 BC- AD 4 (Reece period 1). Obverse: CAESA[R AVGVST]VS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE; laureate head right. Reverse: C L CAESARES (in exergue), AVGVST[I F COS DESIG] PRINC IVVENT, Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing holding shields, with spears behind; above, simpulum and lituus. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 55, no. 207. Diameter: 18.94mm. Weight: 3.73g. Die axis: 4. 14. A silver denarius of Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) dating to c. 2 BC- AD 4 (Reece period 1). Obverse: [CAESAR AVG]VSTVS DIVI F PAT[ER PATRIAE]; laureate head right. Reverse: [C L] CAESARE[S] (in exergue), [AVGVS]TI F COS DESIG P[RINC IVVENT], Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing holding shields, with spears behind; above, simpulum and lituus. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p.55, no. 207. Diameter: 18.92mm. Weight: 3.79g. Die axis: 1.5. 15. A silver denarius of Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) dating to c. 15-13 BC (Reece period 1). Obverse: DIVI F AVGVSTVS, bare head right. Reverse: ACT (in exergue), [I]MP/X, Apollo Citharoedus standing left holding plectrum and lyre. Mint of Lugdunum. RIC vol. I, p. 52, no. 171a. Diameter: 18.91. Weight: 3.71g. Die axis: 2. 16. A silver denarius of Augustus (27 BC- AD 14) dating to c.15-13 BC (Reece period 1). Obverse: DIVI F AV[GVSTVS], bare head right. Reverse: [IM]P X[I] (in exergue), capricorn right holding globe, cornucopia below.