Bulgaria History Museum Displays Unique Gold Treasure

6 000 unique gold coins were discovered by a tractor driver while plowing through farm land in Western Bulgaria in 1961. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

A gold treasure, discovered by accident in the distant 1961 in the village of Rezhantsi, near the Western city of Pernik, is on display at the National History Museum (NIM) in Sofia.

The treasure was found when a tractor was plowing through farm land. It amounted to 6 000 gold coins weighting 82 kg. Many coins, however, were pillaged true illegal treasure hunting and sold in Western Europe and the US. Due to the recklessness of the then museum authorities and experts, another part of the coins was melted and used in the jewelry industry in Sofia.

The coins were in a pot that the tractor broke and villagers still remember people stuffing their pockets with gold, the Museum Deputy Director said during the official opening of the exhibit.

The finding has huge historical and numismatic value. The coins are said to have been cut during Thracian times when the lands were ruled by the successors of Alexander the Great.

The treasure is on display at Hall 3 of the Museum.

On Wednesday is was transported from Pernik in an armored truck and with police escort.

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