2016-03-15 Tue

Nobody would have ever thought that hiking can sometimes make you lucky! That’s what exactly happened with an Israeli Hiker named Laurie Rimon who found a 2,000-year old Roman coin, which is so rare that it’s only the second of its kind in the world. Anyone else would have got greedy and kept the coin with them, but Laurie was different who chose to hand it over to the government. She will be awarded a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship, Israel's antiquities authority said.

The 107AD coin features a portrait of Emperor Augustus but was minted by Emperor Trajan. The sole other coin of this type is held in the British Museum. It is considered to be a part of a series of coins that Emperor Trajan minted and dedicated to the Roman emperors who ruled before him.

Ms Rimon, a member of the Kefar Blum kibbutz, was hiking with friends in the eastern Galilee when she discovered a shiny object in the grass. Though it was not easy parting with the coin, Ms. Rimon and her group contacted Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and handed over the coin as soon as possible. She hopes to see this immensely rare coin in a museum very soon.