Hidden Secret Beneath the Altar: Ancient Coin Treasure Unearthed Inside an Old Church

According to Saed News Agency’s Society Desk, the coins date back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The hoard includes silver groschen from the reign of King Sigismund III, shillings from the Duchy of Prussia, as well as coins from Riga and Lithuania.

The oldest coins date to the reign of King John I Albert, while the newest pieces are from 1628.

At the time the treasure was buried, the church functioned as a monastery, and it is likely that monks concealed the coins. The town of Barczewo during that period was a site of military conflicts between various states, including during the Polish–Swedish wars. Such instability may explain why the coins were hidden.

Despite the monastery surviving fires and wars, war-related diseases claimed the lives of many monks.

Researchers note that the small face value of the coins suggests they were gradually collected over time, likely as alms. The hoard may have formed gradually from the 1620s or been assembled within a shorter period between 1625 and 1628. After 1628, no additional coins were added, possibly due to the death of the person responsible for their collection.

According to strict Franciscan rules, the money did not belong to any individual but was considered communal alms storage. The total value of the coins is estimated at around 815 groschen—enough to cover the food expenses of an adult man for approximately 242 to 243 days.

Researchers believe that the individual managing the coins was likely alive in 1628 and may have died by 1629. Among several candidates, the most likely is Adrian of Kaunas, identified as the monastery’s administrator.

Strict Franciscan regulations confirm that such funds were not personal property but a shared charitable reserve.