March
12
/ 2026
A seemingly unremarkable foreign coin, once used to pay for a bus ride in Leeds, England, in the 1950s, has been identified as a rare 2,000-year-old artifact from an ancient Mediterranean civilization. The bronze coin, minted by Carthaginians in the 1st century BC, has completed a mysterious journey through time and has now been donated to Leeds Museums and Galleries, where its incredible story is being shared. A Grandfather's Gift of "Treasure" The story begins with James Edwards, a former chief cashier for Leeds City Transport. His job involved counting the fares collected by bus and tram drivers, and he would often set aside any foreign or fake coins he found. He would then gift these curiosities to his young
