Massive Roman coin find from Spain

[Duncan Head]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/apr/29/massive-haul-ancient-roman-coins-unearthed-spain

Construction workers have found 600kg (1,300lb) of ancient Roman coins

That's a lot of coins!

[Patrick Waterson]

The clue seems to lie in: "The coins are stamped with the inscriptions of emperors Maximian and Constantine, and they appeared not to have been in circulation as they show little evidence of wear and tear."

This suggests they were probably minted in AD 307 when Maximian, who following his enforced resignation in AD 305 had unsuccessfully attempted to oust his son Maxentius from Italy, fled to Constantine, who then ruled Britain, Gaul and Spain.  At the latest, they were minted in the following year, AD 308.  They would not have been issued in any numbers because in November AD 308 at the Council of Carnutum Diocletian (who had put aside his cabbages for the occasion) and Galerius forced Maximian to resign (again).  Maximian then sulked in Gaul as a guest of Constantine until AD 310, when he tried to usurp Constantine's position.  He was easily defeated and Constantine ordered him to commit suicide.

Issuing the coins would not have been considered after AD 308, particularly given the circumstances of AD 310.  It is anybody's guess why they were simply abandoned in their storage jars rather than being overstruck and re-issued: perhaps being bronze they would need to be re-heated to be overstruck and hence were not considered worth the effort.