Mayor’s Hidden Cache of Hundreds of Ancient Coins Discovered

According to Saednews, Construction workers have discovered a collection of 285 ancient coins, believed to be hundreds of years old, and possibly linked to a 17th-century mayor.

The hoard consists of 285 silver coins that were in circulation between 1499 and 1652. The coins were found during excavation work for a new sewage pipeline in a region of Germany.

The treasure includes a mixture of large silver coins, including thalers minted by the Holy Roman Empire as well as foreign currency. While most of the finds were regional Saxon coins, some of the rarest pieces—such as Scharfenberg groschen—were also identified, likely used locally at the time. In addition, an Italian scudo dated 1630 and a thaler minted in 1620 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany were also present.

Experts believe the treasure was likely buried after the end of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), a devastating conflict in Central Europe that resulted in around eight million deaths. The coins had been underground for a long time and developed a green patina due to corrosion.

Based on several coins in the collection, researchers suggest the hoard may have belonged to Johann Dondorf, who served as mayor of Witten in the late 1660s and was considered one of the city’s wealthiest citizens.

Dondorf’s wealth became apparent after his death in 1675, when a posthumous inventory revealed he owned more than 2,500 thalers and 500 ducats in gold, which he had hidden in rooms throughout his home. However, the recent discovery suggests he may not have been entirely successful in concealing all of his assets from the court.