What does the Roman gold-coin hoard found at Vidy in Switzerland suggest about ancient coin collecting?

The discovery of a hoard of approximately 70 Roman gold coins in Vidy, Switzerland, serves as significant archaeological evidence that coin collecting is a practice that dates back to the Roman era, rather than originating during the Italian Renaissance as previously believed.

The specific composition of this hoard—which notably contained no two specimens of the same type—suggests that the coins were intentionally assembled as a collection during the period of Roman rule in that town, rather than being a random accumulation of currency. This find supports the broader historical understanding that coins have been collected for as long as they have existed, often driven by a fascination with the images depicted on them, such as famous rulers or mythological figures.12