Three"truly sensational" Roman-era silver ingots depicting Constantine the Great were nearly sold illegally on the internet, a new investigation finds.
Each of the metal blocks, which are almost entirely pure silver, weighs more than 12 ounces and contains a coin-shaped impression of Emperor Constantine the Great on each side, according to the statement. Constantine, who ruled from A.D. 306 to 337, is known for ushering Christianity into the Roman Empire and moving his capital to"New Rome," which later became Constantinople .
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Experts estimate the treasure's value at 3.5 million Ukrainian hryvnia, or about $84,800. There are about 90 known Roman silver ingots in existence today, with only 11 containing mint stamp impressions, making the three ingots' recovery even rarer, according to the statement.