The biggest treasure in a decade: 1,600 medieval coins were found in Germany, revealing the secrets of the economy of the 14th century

In the German village of Glottertal, located in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald region, an incredible discovery took place – a hoard of medieval coins was found, which is the largest in recent decades and is of great importance for understanding the economic history of Europe in the 14th century. This unique find gives an opportunity to look into the financial life of the society of that time, to study the processes of minting, silver trade and money circulation in the Breisgau region.

It all started when a local resident, Klaus Felker, while doing construction work in May 2024, accidentally discovered what at first glance seemed to him to be simple metal plates. However, suspecting that the find might have historical value, he immediately reported it to the State Administration for the Protection of Monuments (LAD) of the Stuttgart Regional Council. Archaeologists quickly arrived at the site and began excavations, during which about 1,000 coins were discovered.

Despite difficult weather conditions, excavations continued, and later another 600 coins were found. Initial analysis showed that most of these coins were struck around 1320 at various mints such as Breisach, Zofingen, Freiburg, as well as Colmar, Laufenburg, Zurich, Basel and St. Gallen. This find indicates that in medieval Breisgau there was an active trade exchange, as well as an extensive system of monetary circulation.

Andreas Haasis-Berner, the lead archaeologist who worked on the project, emphasized how important the find is for scholars studying economic history. According to him, these coins had a significant value in their time – they could be used to buy about 150 sheep. Such a number of coins and their variety testify to wide trade relations and an active exchange of currencies at the beginning of the 14th century.

This treasure has already been called one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Germany in recent decades. It not only sheds light on the history of the region, but also helps to better understand the economic and social processes taking place in Europe at that time. This accidental, but extremely valuable, find is a real treasure for science, which allows us to open new pages in the history of the Middle Ages.