Who hasn’t dreamed of taking a walk in the woods and suddenly coming home with a breathtaking treasure? That’s exactly what happened to Sławomir and Szymon Milewski, a father and son who stumbled upon 17 ancient coins while searching for a Roman road near Pomiechówek (Masovia, Poland). The surprise was not small: the coins are valued at over £85,000, making their outing the most profitable of the year.
The find has also caused a stir among numismatists, who are always on the lookout for these gems that usually end up in other people’s display cases. And, as if that weren’t enough, the story is full of historical intrigue and a touch of wartime mystery. Let’s take a closer look.
What exactly did they find in the Pomiechówek forest?
The couple, members of the Triglav Historical and Research Association and accompanied by the Polish Association of Explorers ‘Husaria’, came across 17 coins from the 16th and 17th centuries in almost perfect condition. Archaeologist Piotr Duda described them as ‘white crows’ (a very graphic way of saying that they are extremely rare) and added that we are probably looking at ‘one of the greatest treasures of its kind discovered so far in Poland, and certainly in Mazovia’.
- Thaler of Sigismund III Vasa (1630, minted in Toruń): in 2023, a less well-preserved piece was auctioned for more than 86,000 zlotys.
- Thaler of John II (1623, Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken).
- Thaler of Leopold V (1620).
- German-Dutch patagones and thalers minted between 1604 and 1641.
In total, the small treasure has been valued at around half a million zlotys (about £25,000), a figure that would make anyone’s piggy bank tremble. After being registered, the coins were placed in the custody of the Provincial Conservator of Antiquities of Mazovia.
Why is the treasure worth so much?
To begin with, finding coins from more than four centuries ago in such good condition is almost a miracle. In addition, we are talking about coins from various territories, Saxony, Brandenburg, Austria and the Spanish Netherlands, some so rare that they do not even appear in standard numismatic catalogues. As if that were not enough, collector demand drives up prices, just like foam rises when you open a soft drink.
Another detail that drives up the figures is the provenance of certain pieces. The thaler of Sigismund III Vasa, for example, was minted at the height of the Polish-Lithuanian monarchy and has enormous historical appeal. Add to this its excellent condition and the difficulty of finding complete sets, and the result is a six-figure market value and immediate attention from museums and auction houses.
What could be the historical origin of the coins?
Researchers are considering several scenarios. The most appealing points to the Thirty Years’ War and, specifically, the battles fought in 1655, when Swedish troops faced the Polish crown army. Duda considers it plausible that a German mercenary buried the treasure after the fighting or that a merchant hid it and never returned for it.
Could they have been lost in a simple oversight? It doesn’t seem likely: 17 heavy silver coins would not fit in any pocket without being noticed. It is more likely that they were deliberately hidden, perhaps improvised among the trees of Mazovia, and forgotten until the father and son came across them.
How to see the coins up close
Anyone who wants to admire this treasure without getting on a plane can take note. The associations involved have requested that the pieces be exhibited in two key locations: the Museum of the September Campaign and the Modlin Fortress, both in the Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki region.
If the exhibition is finally approved, which seems almost certain, all you have to do is check the dates announced by these institutions and plan your visit. And, although it may not be easy to match the Milewski family’s luck, you can always take a walk in the woods… just in case.
