The year was AD 68 and the Roman Empire was in tatters.
Nero had committed suicide in June and four different factions were vying for power as his successor.
Each of the would-be Emperors not only had their own armies, but they struck their own coins.
The chaos of this two-year period means very few remnants of the era remain.
But in 2015, the Roman civil war coins were discovered in the English town of Warwickshire. It’s the second such discovery in this part of the old Roman Empire.
Roman coin discovery in Warwickshire
There are 440 silver coins in total, and they were found during an archaeological dig in a pot beneath a building.
The official name for the currency is “denarii,” and its most famous use came in AD 33 when Judas Iscariot sold out Jesus of Nazareth for thirty of the coins.
The 2015 find was immediately declared a treasure and has been with the British Museum for a formal valuation and identification.
What makes this story newsworthy four years after the fact is that Warwickshire is seeking to get the coins back and will be having a fundraising dinner on April 5.
The Museum Service is responsible for raising £62,000 to obtain the coins.
Applications for grants have been made, but at least £3,000 have to come from local sources.
Guests that attend the fundraiser will have the opportunity to hear historical experts speak about the coins and to ask their own questions.
Warwickshire already has a special place in the history of civilization, as the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
Acquiring these rare coins would provide another reason for tourists and academics to visit, something has value to both the local economy and culture.