METAL-detecting enthusiasts could soon be coining it in after discovering a hoard of silver Roman cash dating back 1,500 years.
The find of 75 silver coins and 10 bronze, dating back to the year 355, was made on farmland near Filey.
They were issued during the reign of several Roman emperors, including Julian, Valentinian and Valens.
The discovery was officially confir
med as treasure by Scarborough coroner Michael Oakley at a special inquest. That means the British Museum Trust has "first refusal" on the find.
The inquest heard how the coins were discovered by three members of Bridlington Metal Detecting Society last September. Robert Booth, who was one of those to uncover the coins, said: "We have had permission to search on the land since 2000 but never found anything. On Sunday September 14 we found coins which were just beneath the surface.
"They were only small, about the size of 5p pieces. We are members of the British Museums Trust so we contacted them and they collected the coins."
The coroner said museums were expected to show an interest in acquiring the coins. The British Museum would then assess their value which is likely to result in the land owner and the detectors sharing the proceeds.
A statement from the British Museum Trust told the inquest: "At the time the coins were issued great efforts were made by the Romans to find gold and silver for their coinage, therefore the coins were usually 95 per cent pure."
No-one was available from Scarborough Museums Trust to comment. Its acquisitions policy states: "Coins, tokens and medals will only be acquired if they have been excavated within the Borough of Scarborough or if they have a strong local provenance and complement existing collections."
Dennis Dunkerton,of Spink coin dealers in York, said: "Silver coins, if in a good condition, could bring £150, but that depends on condition." The bronze coins could fetch between £2 and £50 each.
