Ancient Coin's Leeds Journey

0:00On March 9th, a 2,000-year-old coin from Ancient Carthage once paid for a bus ride in Leeds. Researchers confirmed it dates back to the first century BC, minted in what is now Cadiz, Spain, by the Phoenician-rooted civilization. The small silver piece somehow ended up in everyday change collected from city buses and trams. Back in the 1950s, James Edward served as chief cashier for the Leeds Transport Company. He set aside unusual foreign or fake coins from driver's fair boxes and passed them along to his grandson Peter. Peter, now 77, held on to them for over 70 years, sparking a family curiosity about their stories. Peter grew fascinated by one coin's mysterious origins and imagery, linking it to post-World War II soldiers bringing home souvenirs. Neither he nor his grandfather were collectors, but they treated the finds like hidden treasures from afar. Recent analysis revealed the coin's design, showing the god Millcart and alliancekin headdress styled like the Greek hero Heracles to appeal to. Traders, Peter decided to donate it to Leeds

1:03museums and galleries where it will join the Leeds Discovery Center's global currency collection spanning thousands of years. This quirky discovery echoes other recent halls, like 15,000 Roman coins unearthed in Wales or a massive Jersey treasure possibly hidden. From Julius Caesar's forces, while the coin's journey to Leeds remains a puzzle, it now returns home for experts and visitors to Ponder.