A 1,700-year-old Roman gold coin dug up in a field in south Wiltshire, is expected to fetch £30,000 at auction.
Found by a metal detecting enthusiast, the coin dates from the reign of Emperor Licinius I.
One of only four known examples, the coin was struck for the emperor in AD 313 to distribute at special occasions
The enthusiast, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he “thought it was the foil from a packet of Rolos” when he first pulled it out of the mud.
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Coin from short-lived reign of Roman emperor found
A rare coin from the reign of ill-fated Roman emperor Vitellius has been dug up in Swindon and could be the only recorded find of the currency in Wiltshire.
The piece of copper alloy is an unusual discovery as he ruled for just eight tumultuous months before being defeated on the battlefield and executed.
Discovered in Wanborough, the coin depicts the emperor in a slightly more flattering light than others, showing his ruddy complexion and flabby cheeks.
Vitellius reigned in 69AD, the year of the four emperors, which was around 200 years before Roman villas sprang up across Wiltshire in a period of prosperity.
Aurelia's Metal Detecting 