Archaeometric Analysis of the Coin Hoard from Crăiești (Mureș County)
Archaeometric Analysis of the Coin Hoard from Crăiești (Mureș County)

Summary/Abstract: In March 2024, on the outskirts of Crăiești (Mureș County), metal detectorists discovered a jug containing a coin hoard consisting of 155 pieces. The vessel was retrieved through archaeological research and documentation conducted on-site. To gather as much information as possible on the vessel and its contents, we planned to carry out archaeometric investigations. In the first phase, a CT scan and X-ray of the jug were taken. Subsequently, after cleaning and identifying the coins, we performed non-destructive chemical analyses on the various types of coins using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF). The CT analysis of the vessel revealed beam-hardening due to the coins being stored within it. Through pXRF measurements, we established the chemical composition of 22 coins. Of the coins analyzed, 20 were issued between 1760 and 1765 by Maria Theresa and Francis I Stephen of Lorraine in the mints of the Habsburg Empire. These coins exhibited high copper content, ranging from 97.20% to 99.00%. The results of the pXRF measurements support the hypothesis that different mints across the Habsburg Empire producedcoins from copper plates with a similar composition.

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