Worcestershire Conquest Hoard goes on display at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

One of the largest early Roman coin hoards ever found in Britain will be on temporary display at an art gallery and museum in the county from Saturday (January 11).

The Worcestershire Conquest Hoard, which contains 1,368 gold and silver coins, will be showcased at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum until Sunday, March 30.

The hoard was discovered by metal detectorists in 2018 and is named after the period of British history in which it was buried - the Roman Conquest.

Its burial date of circa AD 55 places it right at the beginning of Roman Britain.

The coins in the hoard were produced from the time of the Roman Republic (circa 509–27 BC) up to the reign of the emperor Nero (AD 54–68).

The exhibition will explore the context and significance of the hoard in relation to this tumultuous period.

Dr Murray Andrews, lecturer in British archaeology at UCL Institute of Archaeology and advisor on the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard, said: "The Conquest Hoard is one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Worcestershire in the last 100 years.

"It provides us with a unique snapshot of the period of Roman Conquest and will help us to understand more about this fascinating time in British history."

The hoard was declared Treasure Trove in 2019 and a coroner ruled that it should be valued and offered to a museum.

Worcestershire Heritage, Art & Museums charity recently launched a fundraising campaign to save the hoard for the county, to make sure it can be seen and enjoyed by residents for years to come.

Excitement around the discovery was such that the initial target of £6,000 was met within 48 hours of the campaign going live.

With the hoard expected to be valued upwards of £100,000, fundraising continues towards both acquisition and permanent display and interpretation.

If the money cannot be raised, the hoard will be returned to its finders and/or the landowner, and would be unlikely to ever be seen again on public display.

Deborah Fox, Museums Worcestershire’s senior curator, said: "The Worcestershire Conquest Hoard is an incredible find and plays an important part in understanding more about the county’s heritage.

"We are really pleased to put it on temporary display and are sure visitors will love to see this incredible piece of Worcestershire’s history which has been buried beneath our feet for 2,000 years."

The art gallery and museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 10am to 3pm.

Entry is free.