How a Father and Son Discovered a Coin Hoard Near Pomiechówek

The coin hoard, dubbed "treasure," was found entirely by accident.

A father and son in Poland have made an incredible discovery while searching a forest.

The pair, both members of the Polish Treasure Hunters Association “Husaria”, were actually looking for a Roman-era trade route when they stumbled upon the hoard of coins from the 16th and 17th centuries on Nov. 3, 2024.

The cache is not only one of the largest ever found in Poland, but it also contains a number of coins so rare that they’ve hardly ever been seen before.

The coin hoard, dubbed “treasure,” was found entirely by accident.

According to a Facebook post from the Polish Treasure Hunters Association “Husaria”, the coin hoard found in Pomiechówek was an unexpected discovery.

“We supposed to search for a road from the times of the Roman Empire… and came out a TREASURE of coins,” the group wrote on Facebook, adding: “This is probably the biggest discovered treasure in Mazovia.”

The hoard was found by Sławomir Milewski and and his son Szymon, and it contains a number of rare coins from the District of Tyrol, the Spanish Netherlands, Prussia, the Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, Austria, and Saxony. Many are extremely valuable. The 1630 Sigismund III Vasa thaler coin, for example, is similar to one that sold last year for $24,500.

All in all, the coin hoard is valued at 500,000 zł, or around $124,000.

“We were rubbing our eyes in disbelief,” Piotr Duda, an archaeologist with the Triglav Historical and Research Association, exclaimed to Polish media. “This is probably one of the largest finds of its kind ever discovered in Poland, and certainly in Mazovia. The historical significance is beyond measure, and its estimated material value is half a million złotys.”

Coin hoards often have a tragic backstory, whether they were hidden because of pirates or tucked away during a war. And the coins found in Pomiechówek are likely no exception.

Experts suspect that the Pomiechówek coin hoard was buried during a time of hostility, possibly the Thirty Years’ War (1618 to 1648) or Swedish-Polish conflicts in the mid-17th century. Pomiechówek is indeed located near the site of a 1655 battle between Swedish and Polish troops. And both sides used mercenaries, which could explain the array of coins from different countries.

Wherever the coins came from, the next task is to figure out where they’ll go.

“The discovered treasure will be officially handed over to Masovian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments on Nov. 12,” the Polish Treasure Hunters Association wrote on Facebook, “And [that] will begin the procedure of selecting a museum unit, which will ensure the preservation of uncovered coins and guarantee their exposition.”

As such, the story of the Pomiechówek coin hoard is not quite over. It stands as a remarkable, surprising discovery, the wonder of which is encapsulated by the Polish Treasure Hunters Association’s original Facebook post: “WE HAVE A TREASURE!”