Leeds Man Donates 2,000-Year-Old Coin Found in Bus Fares

Peter's grandfather handed him an unusual coin seven decades ago, never imagining the little metal disc would turn out to be an ancient treasure from across the Mediterranean.

James Edward worked as chief cashier for Leeds City Transport in the 1950s, sorting through coins collected from daily bus fares. When he spotted an odd-looking coin with two tuna fish and strange writing, he set it aside and gave it to his young grandson Peter, who tucked it away in his wooden chest.

Fast forward 70 years. Peter, now 77, finally decided to investigate what the mysterious inscription meant. What he learned stopped him in his tracks.

The coin dates back 2,000 years to ancient Phoenicia, minted in Agadir, a city that once stood where Cádiz, Spain, exists today. On one side, two tuna fish hint at the region's thriving fishing economy. On the other, an engraving of Melqart, a Phoenician deity wearing a lion-skin headdress to resemble the Greek hero Hercules.

Peter immediately contacted Leeds Museums and Galleries, who were thrilled by the discovery. He donated the coin to the Leeds Discovery Center, where it now joins collections from cultures around the world.

"My grandfather would come across coins that were not British and put them to one side," Peter explained. He suspects soldiers returning after World War II brought foreign coins home, mixing them into everyday circulation.

The Ripple Effect

This tiny artifact offers a window into ancient Mediterranean life, revealing trade routes, economic practices, and mythological beliefs from two millennia ago. Only 0.5% of ancient coins survive today, making each discovery precious for understanding our shared history.

Salma Arif, Leeds City Council's executive member, captured the wonder perfectly: "It's incredible to imagine how this tiny piece of history created by an ancient civilization thousands of years ago has somehow made its way to Leeds and into our collection."

How the Phoenician coin traveled from Spain to a Leeds bus route remains a mystery Peter and his late grandfather will never solve, but its journey continues as it educates future generations about our interconnected past.