Roman coin hoard discovered in Hertfordshire

The coins were found near St Albans Credit: St Albans City & District Council

A collection of 159 Roman gold coins has been found in Hertfordshire.

It was found on private land just north of St Albans, and is believed to be one of the largest hoards of coins ever discovered in the UK. The coins, which are called 'solidus', are thought to date back to the very end of Roman rule in Britain.

The local council says that the coins are in a good condition, and were scattered across a fairly wide area. They are believed to be very rare.

Experts from the British Museum will now examine the coins to determine if they qualify as 'treasure'. The value of the gold coins is not yet known.