Near The Coast Of A Beautiful Town In Sardinia, Someone Discovered A Historic Treasure Buried In The Sand

The idyllic island of Sardinia seems to have risen out of the crystalline waters of the Mediterranean, offering a perfect setting for the heroes and legends that abound in this corner of the world. Painted in the most beautiful hues of azure, yellow, and warm green, this island not only offers an outstanding destination that is quietly under-observed on the radar of global tourism, but it is also a land deeply steeped in rich history, thanks to its strategic location. On the northeastern shores of the luxurious Costa Smeralda, you'll find breathtaking towns like Arzachena, where an amateur diver even discovered arguably the largest Roman coin cache yet to date.

Pink granite, carved and polished by the Mediterranean waters, makes the Costa Smeralda even more magical as it winds and curves along secluded beaches, quiet grottoes, and postcard-perfect hills overlooking the little-known island of La Maddalena, boasting the prettiest white sand beaches without crowds. What used to be a relatively forgotten area, inhabited by farmers and shepherds scattered in sleepy villages, has experienced a meteoric, yet calculated, rise to represent La Dolce Vita over the past 60 years.

Like most Mediterranean islands, Sardinia has witnessed an endless flow of people passing through. From the ancient Romans to the Spanish, it has been a host to armies, kings, and, most recently, businessmen with grand visions for luxury tourism. It isn't without irony that 50,000 coins lay glimmering in the sand surrounding the island, waiting to be found.

While diving off the Costa Smeralda, which is roughly a 20-minute drive from the town of Arzachena, an observant diver noticed thousands of specks reflecting the sun on the shallow seabed poking through the sand and seagrass in 2023. Imagine his astonishment once he realized that he was looking at an entire field of what looked like Roman-era coins. These ancient pieces, thinly coated in silver, turned out to be fourth-century bronze Roman coins known as "follis," a standardized form of currency during the Roman Empire.

The astounding volume of this find was so imposing that the archeological team was only able to measure it by weight, estimating it to be between 30,000 and 50,000 pieces upon the first count alone. Per the Italian Ministry of Culture, this treasure trove is considered "one of the most important coin discoveries" (via VOA News), due to the pieces' incredible state of preservation attributed to the environment where they rested for centuries. The combined elements of seagrass, which acts as a natural mat slowing down currents, and the dense sediment coating the metal allowed the coins to preserve their finest details, ranging from mint marks to inscriptions depicting rulers and their areas of origin.

Thanks to this discovery, the Costa Smeralda has offered the historical community a gift that will help better understand a Roman era that was undergoing seismic changes during the reign of Emperor Constantine I, marked by growing economic hardships and the Christianization of the empire. Yet the waters off of Arzachena offer much more than a playground for historians and treasure hunters, as one can find dreamy beaches with powdery white sand and dazzling turquoise waters at Cala Brandinchi. Coupled with the warm charm of Italian coastal towns, the idea of treasure takes on an entirely new meaning.

Arzachena is a prominent town in northeast Sardinia, where you can walk along the warm gravel paths through local Vermentino vineyards in the surrounding hills. In town, a charcuterie of sights, restaurants, and cozy squares awaits. The old town center is crowned by an isolated rock known as the Mushroom (pictured), which has been used as a refuge for humans since the Neolithic Age. The area holds the richest concentration of prehistoric sites on the island, ranging from the Li Muri Necropolis to La Prisgiona ruins. The center itself is a colorful pastiche of pink granite facades, with squares like Piazza Risorgimento setting the Italian town's quiet and cozy tone.

There is also an air of refined, quiet luxury, too. When Prince Karim Aga Khan IV arrived here in the 1960s, he immediately took notice of the pristine yet ruggedly beautiful coast, deciding to turn it into a crown jewel oasis for himself and the world's elite to escape the spotlight. His visionary town of Porto Cervo, home to luxury resorts and yacht marinas, is just a 20-minute drive northeast from Arzachena.

You can reach Arzachena by flying from the Italian mainland into Olbia, 16 miles away. The best way to get here is by car, following State Road 125 for a 30-minute drive. If you find yourself doing a full island tour, start with Sardinia's capital of Cagliari, known for its unmatched food and beaches. You can cross the entire island south to north in just over three hours, with your nose glued to the window to take in the awe-inspiring views.