The largest intact medieval silver coin hoard, dating to the first half of the 15th century, has been discovered during rescue excavations in the historic Russian city of Kolomna [2]. Unearthed near the Kolomna Kremlin and hidden within a small ceramic pot, the hoard of over 2,600 silver coins is of great significance for shedding light on the economic structure and minting technology of medieval Russia.
A Treasure Concealed in a Ceramic Pot
This hoard, found during excavations conducted by the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was discovered in a shallow pit, nestled inside an elegant pot decorated with underglaze painting [4]. Initial examinations indicate that almost all the coins were minted during the reigns of two prominent rulers of the Grand Duchy of Moscow: Vasily I Dmitriyevich, who ruled from 1389 to 1425, and his successor, Vasily II [5]. Kolomna at that time was the second most important center of the principality after Moscow and was directly under the Grand Prince's administration. This fact proves that the monetary circulation in the city was tied directly to the court economy rather than the regional economy.
Kolomna's Rare Bird Coins
One of the most striking aspects of the hoard is the presence of numerous coins minted locally in Kolomna. These special coins, featuring the depiction of a flying bird, are extremely rare in hoards found outside the region. Experts have determined that the coins in the pot were struck using dozens of different dies, allowing them to reconstruct at least 15 years of production history and technological development of the Kolomna mint.
Why Did the Owner Not Return?
The youngest coins in the treasure dating to the reign of Vasily II, specifically the late 1420s, indicate that the hoard was buried around these dates. Archaeologists suggest that the owner hid this considerable wealth due to an emergency and was unable to retrieve it. Epidemics prevalent in the region at that time are considered one of the strongest possibilities for the owner's inability to return. This intact collection offers unique scientific data for understanding the trade networks and monetary policy of medieval Russia. Additional resources and further reading to strengthen this context can be found at [1] [3].