Britain's visible Roman remains are lacking in impressive monuments such as the temples, arches and amphitheatres found in France and Italy. Yet to compare the foundations typical of Roman sites in Britain unfavourably with these is unfair since the best testament to Britain's participation in Graceo-Roman civilisation is its 'hidden' monuments: spectacular hoards of household valuables such as jewellery, precious-metal table utensils or decorations and also - the concern of this book - rich hoards of gold, silver and bronze coins. Many such hoards are hidden no longer, as visits to numerous museums will quickly show. Since the 1980s, there has been a rise in discoveries, mostly due to the increased use of metal detectors. In response to this, there has been a greater recognition of the importance of detailed recording and, in some cases, keeping coin hoards together as artefacts in their own right. This book provides an introduction to Romano-British coin hoards and places major discoveries, new and old, in the story of the Roman province's monetary system.
