The Nankovo Hoard of 1974 in the Context of Roman-Barbarian Relations in the Upper Tisza Region: New details

The hoard of Roman Imperial coins was found near the village of Nankovo in 1974. However, this hoard was processed superficially due to a low development level of archaeological sites’ attribution and significant problems in the regulatory framework that guided museum workers then. It has also contributed to the risk of hoard theft increasing at all stages from the moment of excavation to the moment of its museumization. In total, the hoard consisted of more than 1280 coins. It is not possible to establish a more precise number of coins from this hoard, but it is known that at least fifty coins were distributed among the locals in the village. However, the available data on the composition of the hoard allow us to assert that the Nankovo hoard is a hoard of long-term accumulation since there is a concentration of coins of different rulers, among which a significant proportion are coins of Antoninus Pius (approximately 24%), Marcus Aurelius (approximately 21%), Faustina the Elder (approximately 11%), Faustina the Younger (approximately 10%), and Commodus (approximately 10%). The analyzed composition of the coinage using an XRF analyzer showed the standard level of silver composition for these coins, in particular 91.9% and 92.6% for the Marcus Aurelius denarii. Significant abrasion of the coins may indicate that these coins were in circulation for a long time before they were thesaurized,which was common among the barbarian population of Central and Eastern Europe.