Lost or Unprovenanced? The Suggested Fate of an Important Archaeological Discovery (an Aureus of Trajan) from Aldborough (Isurium Brigantum)

Abstract

Abstract In 1770 an aureus of the Emperor Trajan was found by the north wall of the churchyard at Aldborough (Isurium Brigantum). This was a very important archaeological discovery as contemporary antiquarian reports provide a clear description of the coin in addition to detailing the precise find spot. Subsequently the aureus disappeared from the historical record but, in this note, historical and numismatic evidence is presented suggesting that an unprovenanced coin now in the British Museum - R.7569 - is the lost Aldborough aureus.