Pardubice, East Bohemia, Jan 13 (CTK) – Czech historian Petr Vorel, in charge of the coin collections of the East Bohemian Museum, yesterday presented a unique treasure of silver coins from the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries that was found last autumn.
The treasure, which has become part of the museum collections, contains more than 400 coins and over 300 coin fragments. The coins are likely to be exhibited in the autumn.
The Premyslid princes had the right to mint coins in the time from which the treasure dates. Experts will be thoroughly studying the coins, some of which have been unknown so far.
“It is silver of very high quality, it was used primarily for export at international markets. Coins were not a common means of payment then yet,” Vorel said.
Somebody hid the coins during the turbulent time of the rule of Boleslaus II or Boleslaus III. An analysis of the coins may tell more about the treasure and why it had been hidden, Vorel said.
According to Czech law, the treasure is the property of the Pardubice Region on the territory of which it was found. The region is the operator of the museum.
Pardubice Region Governor Martin Netolicky said the person who found the treasure will receive up to millions of crowns.
No information on the place of the find and its circumstances has been provided since archeologists plan to continue working in the area for some time.
The price of the silver treasure is hard to estimate, but it is certainly very high, the experts said.
