Huge haul of ancient Roman coins found in Seville

Construction workers have unearthed 600kg of "unique" 1,700-year-old Roman coins in Spain.

The coins, which date from the late third and early fourth centuries, were unearthed by construction staff working on the mains supply close to Zaudín Park in the town of Tomares, Seville.

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Seville's Archaeology Museum is looking after the find. Museum head Ana Navarro told the Guardian that the coins were worth "certainly several million euros".

She added: "It is a unique collection and there are very few similar cases. The majority were newly minted and some of them probably were bathed in silver, not just bronze."

The coins were stamped with the inscriptions of emperors Maximian and Constantine, as they showed little evidence of wear and tear it's believed they may not have been in circulation. They could have been intended to pay the army or civil servants.

The coins were found in 19 Roman amphoras, or earthenware jars.

The Local reports that researchers say they have never seen such an abundant haul, and that the find is "unique in Spain and perhaps the world".

Officials have suspended the work on the water pipes and plan to carry out an archaeological excavation on the site, reports RT News.