Lead Capsule With Historical Coins Found In Downtown Alexandria

During emergency excavations conducted by the Supreme Council of Antiquities in central Alexandria, archaeologists uncovered a rare lead capsule embedded within the foundations of an old villa. Inside, they found a diverse collection of Egyptian coins dating back to the reigns of Sultan Hussein Kamel (1914–1917) and King Fuad I (1922–1936). The capsule contained 13 coins ranging from bronze milliemes to gold pieces valued at 100 piastres. The collection includes small coins from King Fuad I’s reign, a rare two-piastre coin of Sultan Hussein Kamel, several silver coins (5, 10, and 20 piastres), and three gold coins (20, 50, and 100 piastres) — among the rarest issues in the history of modern Egyptian coinage. The discovery reflects Alexandria’s continuity from its Hellenistic and Roman origins to its modern multicultural era. The capsule also sheds light on a historic custom of placing foundation deposits—symbolic offerings intended to bring prosperity to new buildings—a practice rooted in both Greek and ancient Egyptian traditions. The villa belonged to the Salvago family, one of Alexandria’s most prominent Greek families active in the city’s economic and cultural life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Inside the capsule, archaeologists also discovered a typed Greek document signed by Konstantinos M. Salvago and his mother Julia K. Salvago, dated May 1st, 1937, commemorating the villa’s foundation under the supervision of French architect Jean Walter. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed that the newly discovered coins will be exhibited at the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria, offering a rare glimpse into the city’s layered past and the cross-cultural rituals that once shaped its urban life.