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Archaeologists study hundreds of ancient Roman coins found on the site of an ancient theater in northern Italy.
The coins date back to the Roman imperial period and were found in a soapstone jar in the basement of the Cressoni Theater in Como, north of Milan last week.
Italian media reported Sunday that coins could be worth millions of dollars.
"We do not yet know in detail the historical and cultural significance of the discovery," Italian Minister of Culture Alberto Bonisoli said in a statement.
"But this area turns out to be a real treasure for our archeology. A discovery that fills me with pride.
The ministry did not attribute any value to the exhibits, sending 27 items for examination to Milan.
Centinaia of the late imperial epoca sono state rinsed in the pieno centro a #Como, in a recipiente in pietra ollare di forma inedita. "A little further than the world," he added? @BonisoliAlberto pic.twitter.com/ff6ep38gtG
– MiBAC (@_MiBAC) September 7, 2018
The historic Cressoni Threater was inaugurated in 1870 before becoming a cinema that closed in 1997. The site was to be demolished before the discovery.
Authorities are now planning to suspend work to allow further searches, according to local media reports.
According to the ministry, the site is not far from the forum area of Novum Comum – an ancient city where other important Roman artefacts have been discovered.
In 2016, authorities unearthed a 2,000-year-old Roman gold coin in Jerusalem, dating from 56-57 AD. The coin featured the face of Nero, the Roman emperor best known for playing the violin while ancient Rome was burning.
The same year, a team of archaeologists found up to ten Roman and Ottoman coins in a ruined castle in Okinawa, Japan.
A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday (AEST) when more details will be announced.
-with agencies
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