A treasure hunter claiming to have minted 14,154 Roman coins in Belgian territory has been accused of being one of the largest archaeological robbers in European history.
A man from France, identified as Patrice T, told Belgian authorities that in October last year, 40 miles east of Brussels, in the town of Flemish, two locations near Ginzlom were spotted with metal detectors.
In France, metal detectors are only allowed to be used for scientific research, but in Dutch-speaking Flanders they can be used for personal detection. These coins were legally declared the property of the inventor.
It is said that the treasure hunter’s account has been solved. However, the Belgian agency for immovable heritage has raised concerns about French customs regarding the size of the discovery and the location of the plots where the coins were found.
A surprise raid by French authorities on the man’s home later revealed surprising hoardings of 27,400 precious objects, ranging from the Bronze and Iron Age to empty copper Roman dodecahedrons and necklaces, containing only a hundred well-known copies. Their use is an archaeological aggma.
There were also Roman brooches that were in the form of fibula, merovingian and Renaissance belt buckles, parts of statues and Roman and Gaelic coins – all of which are said to have been found illegally in France.
French officials believe the man, who is awaiting trial, used the distinction between French law and Flemish rules to collect the loot of his looted goods.
French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said: “We are pleased with this exemplary collaboration between customs officials, archaeologists and our Belgian friends, for whose vigilance we sincerely thank you.
“It enabled us to capture invaluable archeological treasures. The offender is liable for thousands of euros in imprisonment and customs fines. It is a clear message to those who, for the benefit and selfish pleasure of a few, strip us of our common heritage and completely erase our history. “
One of the Belgian officials first said on the scene of Ginjelom that the man’s account has not been true from the beginning.
Marilyn Martens told the Hate Newsblad newspaper: “This guy said he bought it because he likes to travel the area and set up a fleet there. He made the discovery when he tried to clear the ground with a metal detector. I thought he had found some coins, but he took two full buckets from the trunk of his car.
“During the site survey, we concluded that it was impossible to get coins from this site. They were located in a layer of the earth that was formed after the Middle Ages. A few coins can still toss exceptionally. Even 14,000? “
