The farmer found treasure in the field. Silver coins from the 17th century had been lying in the ground for hundreds of years

During agricultural works in Bukowiec Wielki (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship), a treasure of silver coins from the 17th century was found. The historic find will be presented from the beginning of next year at an exhibition at the Borderland Museum in Działdowo.

The finders of the treasure – Beata and Romuald Jóźwiak – handed it over to the Warmia-Masuria Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments through the mayor of the Janowiec Kościelny commune.

– My husband was renovating the meadow. He wanted to collect the plowed stones. It turned out that they were coins, Mrs. Beata told PAP.

An archaeologist informed PAP about the valuable discovery Damian Swat from Archeoskopunder whose supervision rescue excavations were carried out at the place where the treasure was found. During this research, further coins and fragments of the vessel in which the treasure was originally deposited were discovered.

In total, there are 162 silver coins dating from 1660-1679. They include two pieces of coins with a face value of 2/3 of a thaler, 20 tymfs, 27 orts and 113 sixties.

The archaeologist said that a large area of ​​the field around the discovery site was also searched using metal detectors. As he noted, this was possible thanks to members of the Nibork Historical and Exploration Association, who also helped in identifying the coins. Members of the “Allenstein Historical Reconstruction Group” Association also participated in the research.

During archaeological research, the remains of stone structures of a former farm from the mid-17th century were also found. Fragments of ceramic vessels, rings made of copper alloy, a medallion with Our Lady of Częstochowa and the Guardian Angel, lead bullets for black powder weapons, buttons and other everyday items were found.

According to Damian Swat, one of the most interesting finds is a fragment of a woman's belt buckle; similar buckles can be found, among others, in Perleberg in Brandenburg and at Prague Castle in Prague.

The monuments found in Bukowiec Wielki were sent to the Borderland Museum in Działdowo. Patryk Kozłowski, director of the museum, told PAP that conservation of the coins is still ongoing and visitors will be able to see them at the permanent exhibition at the beginning of next year.

– This is a very valuable find for our museum. We are glad that it came to us because we are a young museum and our collections are not extensive, he explained.

The area where the treasure was discovered was once located on the Masovian-Prussian border. It was populated largely by the minor nobility. The village of Bukowiec was founded in the 13th or 14th century and belonged to the parish of Janowiec Kościelny. It was probably divided into Bukowiec Wielki and Mały in the 16th century, and farms with such names continued to function in the 19th century (PAP)

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