The Bredon Hill Hoard, also known as the Bredon Hill Roman Coin Hoard, is a significant discovery consisting of 3,784 Roman silver coins. This hoard was found in June 2011 by two metal prospectors on the Bredon Hills in Worcestershire, England, approximately 400 meters north of Kemerton Campground, which features an Iron Age Hill Fort. The coins were concealed within a clay pot, which had been buried around the middle of the 4th century AD in a Roman villa. Subsequent archaeological excavations have confirmed the presence of this villa. This hoard includes coins from the reigns of sixteen different emperors, spanning the mid to late 3rd century, and it stands as the largest Roman coin hoard ever discovered in Worcestershire.
The discovery of the hoard was made by metal detector enthusiasts Jethro Carpenter and Mark Gilmore of Redditch on June 18, 2011. They had previously received permission from the landowner to explore the area with their metal detectors. Initially, they came across a metal object, which turned out to be a nail. However, their metal detectors continued to indicate the presence of other metal objects, leading them to uncover several shards of earthenware and then a substantial number of coins, buried about 50 cm below the surface. Realizing the significance of their find, they promptly backfilled the hole and reported the discovery to Richard Henry, Program of Portable Antiquities Finds Communications Officer for the Worcestershire and West Midlands regions, on June 20.
Archaeologists conducted a preliminary survey of the site on June 21, followed by a comprehensive excavation in early July, spanning two weeks. This excavation revealed that the hoard was situated within the remains of a villa, which is unusual since most Roman coin hoards were buried in open areas, away from buildings. The site exhibited three distinct layers. The lower level featured a stone foundation for a half-timbered villa, with artifacts and coins spanning from the second to the end of the third century. The next level contained post pits for a wooden building and pottery dating to the third or fourth century, along with two coins from the late third century. The uppermost tier consisted of rubble and pottery from the late 4th or early 5th century. The treasure itself had been buried in a pit on the upper level. Interestingly, a single coin dating to approximately 355-361 was found in the soil surrounding the hoard pit, suggesting that the hoard was buried around the middle of the 4th century, nearly a century later than the date of the latest coins within the pot.
Following the removal and separation of the coins from the soil, they were dried. Subsequently, on July 15, the 11 kg hoard was sent to the British Museum in London for preservation and identification, shedding light on this valuable historical find.