I am a little concerned about the report regarding a boy who had found a Roman coin in Haxby ('City Roman finds are legion', October 4).

To clarify matters:

The coin was brought to the Yorkshire Museum by the child's mother outside normal opening hours. We nevertheless undertook to provide her with an on-the-spot identification.

The coin was identified as a sestertius of the emperor Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) and this information was conveyed to the lady in writing.

It was verbally explained to her that the coin was not made of gold but was rather struck in a brass-like alloy called 'orichalcum'.

At no time was it suggested that the coin had been issued by the Emperor Constantine I. As a comprehensive identification was provided by the Yorkshire Museum, there was no need for the lady to be referred to any other museum.

Craig Barclay,

Keeper of Numismatics,

Yorkshire Museum, York.

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