Polish Metal Detectorists Unearth Trove of Rare American and Russian Gold Coins

Declan Gallagher
·2 min read
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Metal detectorists in Poland stumbled across a remarkable discovery when they unearthed 70 gold coins in a decaying canister.

Łukasz Istelski and two of his like-minded friends frequently patrol the woods near their home in Szczecin with their respective metal detectors. They’re always on the hunt for buried treasure or relics from World War II. Istelski reported to Polish-language publication Science In Poland (via Lexington Herald Leader) that during a recent outing, the pals found more than they ever bargained for.

Istelski was searching on his own when he heard his two friends screaming and raced over to find them crowded around a small hole. Less than a foot below the earth was a severely decayed metal can. As the men lifted it, the canister deteriorated and gave way to a waterfall of gleaming gold coins. Surprisingly, it was largely American currency mixed with some Russian coins.

Photos shared to the Szczecin Exploration Group Association’s Facebook page show the considerable loot laid out on the forest floor. The association reported the treasure amounted to 0.8 pounds (404 grams) of gold including “$20, $10, and $5 [pieces], and ₽15 and ₽5 rubles.” The bounty totals $24,000, according to appraisers, but is likely worth a whole lot more than that now.

“The emotions felt indescribable…We are still recovering, and I think that hardly anyone will fall asleep [tonight],” the post read.

Close-ups of one of the $20 coins show it to be from 1903. According to the U.S. Mint, gold coins in those denominations were manufactured between 1795 and 1933. The American Gold Exchange reported that coins produced prior to ‘33 are exceedingly rare nowadays, as most were “melted down during the federal gold recall in the 1930s…Only a small fraction of the original mintage survives today.”

How the treasure came to be buried in the woods is a mystery. Considering Szczecin’s position near the German border, Istelski posits the cache could have been deposited there for safety sometime during WWII. The coins are now in the possession of the town’s government, which hopes to discern more about their origins.