A group of 11 Celtic silver coins has been discovered under a playing field in Singen, central Germany. The coins are about 2,000 years old and exceptionally rare. The barely double-digits hoard is the largest one of from the period ever discovered in Thuringia.
The coins emerged in an archaeological survey of the former sports field in advance of construction of a new fire station. The first individual finds were unearthed in July and August of last year when construction was being overseen by archaeologists. A targeted excavation at the site last month uncovered the rest. The excavation revealed that the 11 coins were a single deposit that had been scattered by later agricultural work.
The original container has vanished. Researchers found no pottery fragments, leading them to believe the coins were probably kept in something made from organic material, perhaps a small pouch or another container that decayed long ago.
The coins were no longer lying where their owner had placed them. Centuries of ploughing had dragged them across an area measuring roughly 5.8 by 1.5 meters. Careful documentation nevertheless allowed archaeologists to reconstruct their relationship and distinguish the hoard from later objects found nearby.
The 11 coins are all silver quinarii of the Prague type. Only around 80 of them are known to have been found in Thuringia, so this single deposit is not only the largest, but contains more than 10% of the total Prague-type quinarii in the state.
Numismatists believe the quinarii may have been locally produced in the Gotha region just northwest of Singen. The find site is located between Gotha and a concentration of Celtic settlements, including Steinsburg which was one of the most important Celtic settlements in the region and was known for its craft production.
That makes the Singen hoard more than an isolated cache of silver. Its location adds another point to the archaeological map, helping researchers trace possible connections between production centers, settlements and the routes along which coins and other goods moved through Iron Age Thuringia.
The Thuringian State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology says the discovery has significantly expanded what is known about these regional connections.
So far, I had no idea that there is a ‘Singen’ in Thuringia, but as it turns out, there is indeed one, i.e. south of what seems to have been the early historic fortified enclosure at Singer Berg.
I am unaware of what happened at Steinsburg near Römhild (‘one of the region’s major Celtic settlements’), or in the Gotha region, northwest of Singen. However, 80km south of Singen –with the Thuringian Forest in between– is the hillfort of “Menosgada”.
Apparently, there was a trade route that connected Jutland in Denmark with Singen and Franconia with the river Main valley (‘Copper Road’). The Thuringian and Franconian Forests (Kupferberg) had actually been a source for copper and even silver.
The ‘Quinarius’ –as the name suggests– is a Roman silver coin, valued at half a denarius or 5 assarii. There may have been relations to Prague. Marboduus had led the Marcomanni to Bohemia in 6AD and forwarded the Governor’s head to Rome in 9AD.
Facts Only
* Eleven Celtic silver coins were discovered under a playing field in Singen, central Germany.
* The coins are approximately 2,000 years old.
* The hoard is the largest of its kind discovered in Thuringia.
* The discovery occurred during an archaeological survey of the former sports field.
* The coins were found as a single deposit scattered by later agricultural work across an area of roughly 5.8 by 1.5 meters.
* No pottery fragments were found with the coins, suggesting they were stored in organic material.
* The coins are all silver quinarii of the Prague type.
* Numismatists suggest local production in the Gotha region.
* The find site is located between Gotha and Celtic settlements like Steinsburg.
* The location assists in tracing connections between production centers, settlements, and trade routes in Iron Age Thuringia.
Executive Summary
Eleven Celtic silver coins, identified as quinarii of the Prague type, were discovered under a playing field in Singen, central Germany. These coins are approximately 2,000 years old and represent the largest known hoard of this type from the period found in Thuringia. The discovery occurred during archaeological work related to the construction of a new fire station. The coins were found as a single deposit scattered by later agricultural activity over an area of approximately 5.8 by 1.5 meters, suggesting they were lost and moved centuries later.
The hoard lacks pottery fragments, leading researchers to hypothesize the coins were stored in organic material like a decayed pouch. Numismatists suggest local production of these quinarii in the Gotha region, near Singen, and the find site is geographically linked to known Celtic settlements like Steinsburg. The location helps trace connections between production centers, settlements, and trade routes in Iron Age Thuringia, connecting areas like Jutland, Franconia, and potentially the Thuringian Forest as sources for valuable materials such as copper and silver.
Full Take
The significance of this discovery moves beyond the mere existence of a coin hoard into the realm of regional connectivity during the Iron Age. The finding establishes a tangible link between local settlement, known Celtic craft production centers, and broader trade networks that traversed the Thuringian landscape. The fact that this specific deposit represents over 10% of the Prague-type quinarii in the state suggests an underrecognized volume of material movement compared to what was previously understood about regional exchange.
The narrative shifts from archaeology to historical geography, explicitly linking the location near Singen with potential routes like the "Copper Road" and suggesting resource flows involving silver and copper from the forested regions. The identification of this site as a nexus point forces a re-evaluation of established cultural and economic relationships within Iron Age Thuringia, implying that interactions extended across settled areas and wilderness zones, rather than being confined to major urban centers.
The implication for understanding agency lies in recognizing how historical pathways—whether trade routes or agricultural displacement—shape the distribution of material culture. When researchers trace these paths, they are not just mapping objects; they are reconstructing the dynamic relationships between producers, consumers, and movement across the terrain. The unknown fate of the original container underscores a limitation in the physical evidence, forcing reliance on contextual inference regarding cultural practices and concealment methods.
Bridge Questions: What other potential routes or material exchanges should be considered when mapping the connections between Gotha, Singen, and Steinsburg? How might the context of agricultural work influence the dispersal pattern compared to deliberate transport? What historical frameworks about Iron Age mobility need revision in light of this specific localization data?