Israel – In recent years, the amount of ancient gold coins found in and around Israel has been incredible. One of the largest collections of medieval gold coins ever found in Israel was “accidentally” discovered by amateur divers. The coins date to over 1,000 years ago. They were found near Caesarea, which is an Israeli port city. The cache contained nearly 2,000 coins, with an estimated current market value of $90,000 USD. However, their archeological value is speculated to be much higher.
It is likely the coins were washed up during severe weather. Their origin is from the Fatimid era which was about 1,000 AD. You may think there was an archeological expedition underway in search of these coins but that would be incorrect. The divers were amateur explorers. In fact, when they first discovered the coins, they thought they were fake or children’s toys.
They called in Marine archeologists to inspect further. The archeologists used high-technology scans and metal detectors. They found a much larger amount of gold coins, varying in size, weight, and value.
The experts (Israel Antiquities Authority) surmised the gold coins came from a boat that sank on its way to deliver tax money to Egypt. Typically, merchant ships would trade along the Mediterranean coast and tax revenues were included on these ships.
Archeologists hope further excavations at the site will allow them to truly understand the overall context of the region and answer many unanswered questions they have about the history and culture of the area. An Israel Antiquities Authority coin expert stated the find was in excellent condition. This is typical of gold coins due to the properties of the precious metal. Gold is not affected by air or water. The coins did not need cleaning or restoration despite having been at the bottom of the sea for about a thousand years. A few of the coins were bent and had signs of teeth marks in them. This was a practice by merchants and consumers from the time period. They would bite the coins and determine their authenticity. One of the oldest coins found in the treasure trove was a quarter [piece] Dinar that was minted in Palermo, Sicily. It’s expected to be from the later part of the 9th century.
The majority of the gold coins are from Fatimid Caliph’s Al-Akim and his son Al-Ahir, although some were minted later. Al-Hakim was a Caliph of the Fatimid dynasty of Egypt, North Africa, Palestine, and Syria. He was the sixth Fatimid caliph and 16th Ismaili imam. Al-Ḥākim mysteriously vanished while taking a walk on the night of Feb. 13, 1021.
Nonetheless, the amateur divers are excited by this discovery. It has fueled further exploration of this region.
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