A 2,000-year-old Phoenician bronze coin, originally used as bus fare in Leeds in the 1950s, has been identified and donated to the Leeds Discovery Centre. The coin was minted in the ancient Carthaginian settlement of Gadir (modern-day Cádiz, Spain) and features imagery of the deity Melqart and tuna fish, reflecting its maritime origins.
This discovery highlights the unexpected pathways artifacts can travel, surfacing in modern contexts far from their origin. The donation enriches a public collection, preserving a tangible link to ancient Mediterranean trade networks and illustrating how everyday objects can hold profound historical significance, connecting personal family history with broader archaeological narratives.