History truly is made every day, and just a couple of days ago the University at Buffalo announced than an enterprising assistant professor-- Philip Kiernan-- had uncovered a rare coin collection in the University's library archives that had previously been only the stuff of legends.
UB's library archives have long been known to contain some fantastic historical artifacts, including original copies of rare works of literature. But the coins were always considered to be a rumor, sort of Buffalo's own Hidden Temple adventure, but without all the ninjas and well dressed archaeologists. That is, until last week.
Kiernan heard about the coins upon his arrival as an assistant classics professor at the University, but, like many others, assumed the rumors were false. What Kiernan did differently, however, is that he actually went looking for them. And he found them. Nestled in the archives in a set of three glass trays, according to NPR, there were over fifty gold and silver coins dating back to the hey-days of ancient Rome and Greece.
The coins are in the process of being studied and cataloged, but they are genuine. The coins themselves would have been high denominations in the ancient world-- Kiernan told ABC news that the silver coins would have been akin to the "100 or 200 hundred dollar bills of the ancient world" and this, again according to Kiernan, accounts for their high quality-- they were coins that were not traded on a daily basis.
The name-sake of UB's library, attorney Thomas B Lockwood, is the source of the coin collection. According to UB, Lockwood had purchased the coins at an auction and, upon the dedication of the library in 1935, were donated to the University. And there they remained, undisturbed and largely forgotten, for over eight decades.
Lockwood himself is an important Buffalo historical figure-- a native son of Buffalo, he studied law at Yale and then returned to Buffalo in 1897, where he practiced law, worked as park commissioner and donated time and money to charitable organizations and causes. He is remembered as a highly educated individual and a collector of fine and rare artifacts.
Amongst the collection of coins rediscovered last week at UB, are forty Greek coins and twelve Roman coins-- one from each era of the first 12 Roman emperors, beginning with Julius Caesar. One of these, a coin from the reign of Otho, may be the rarest in the collection-- Otho was only emperor for three months-- during the highly volatile Year of Four Emperors that followed the death by suicide of Emperor Nero-- yes, THAT Nero, the one that allegedly, though probably falsely, fiddled while Rome burned. Three of the four emperors that ruled at that time would die in office just months after they ascended the world's highest throne, Otho included, who committed suicide after being defeated in battle by the next short-lived, both literally and figuratively, emperor-- Vitellius.
Time will tell what these coins will add to our historical record-- Kiernan is currently organizing a graduate course analyzing and studying the coins-- but this Unemployed Historian is certainly excited for the outcome.
For more information, check out the following links:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/11/392326270/u-s-college-finds-priceless-coin-collection-in-its-own-library
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/college-rediscovers-collection-rare-greek-roman-coins-29552426
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2015/03/020.html
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