Amateur diver uncovers rare Byzantine coin hoard in Belarus

Massive Hoard of Byzantine Coins Discovered in the Dnieper River

Amatuer diver finds a trove of Byzantine coins near Orsha, dating back to the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos—between 1092 and 1118.

December 15, 2025

Preliminary Spectral Analysis Suggests the Coins Are Made of Low-Grade Bronze

Preliminary spectral analysis of one of the coins—a scyphate—indicates it was minted from low-quality bronze, according to the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB). However, researchers caution that the findings may be inaccurate, as the coins have not yet been cleaned. A more precise isotopic analysis is planned in the near future.

"This coin should be billon—an alloy of copper and silver," said Ivan Spiryn, a researcher at the Institute of History of the NASB. "But we haven't detected silver in it. It's possible that after centuries underwater, the silver has oxidized, though traces may still remain."

Previously, the largest discovery of Byzantine coins in Belarus was a hoard found at the ancient settlement of Kopyl. But the Dnieper finds could prove even more significant. Scientists believe there may be more treasures in the same area—perhaps not just a few puds of coins, but even a 12th-century shipwreck lying beneath the river's depths.