Long Table 151. Gold & Power: The Spectacular Velp 1715 Hoard
Channel: American Numismatic Society
Date: 2023-08-24

In 1715, a vast hoard of late Roman gold coins, medallions, and jewels was discovered in Velp in the Netherlands. The gold was buried in the early 5th century CE, at a time when the Western Roman Empire was collapsing and Germanic kingdoms were emerging. Paul Beliën, curator of the Dutch National Numismatic Collection, will discuss how the gold ended up in Velp, why it was buried there, who owned it, and how it was used by both Roman and Germanic power brokers.