Silver coin issued by Roman Emperor in 107 AD found in Cambridgeshire field by metal detectorist Paul Capewell

The coin, which is made of silver, was found by metal detectorist Paul Capewell in a field in Cambridgeshire. The coin is dated to 107 AD and features the head of the Roman Emperor Trajan on one side and a figure of Victory on the other.

A silver coin issued by a Roman Emperor almost 2,000 years ago has been found in a Cambridgeshire field by a metal detectorist.

Paul Capewell, 53, from March, was scanning a field near Chatteris when he came across the denarius coin, which was issued by Emperor Trajan in 107 AD.

The coin, which is made of silver and copper, features the head of Trajan on one side and a depiction of the goddess Fortuna on the other.

It was found at a depth of around 10 inches in the field, which has been ploughed several times over the years.

Mr Capewell, who has been metal detecting for around 30 years, said he was "over the moon" to find the coin.

"I was scanning the field when I got a signal and dug down around 10 inches and there it was," he said.

"I knew straight away that it was a Roman coin and I was over the moon.

"I've found quite a few Roman coins over the years, but this one is particularly special because it's so well preserved.

"You can clearly see the head of Trajan on one side and the goddess Fortuna on the other."

Mr Capewell said he believes the coin was probably dropped by a Roman soldier who was marching through the area.

"The Romans had a camp at nearby March and their soldiers would often be out on manoeuvres," he said.

"It's possible that one of them dropped this coin while they were marching through the field."

The coin has been valued at around £200 and Mr Capewell plans to sell it to a local collector.