Hundreds of Roman-era gold coins found in basement of old theater

Hundreds of gold coins, estimated to be worth millions, were found in a soapstone bowl as part of excavations of the Cressoni Theater, officials said Friday.

"We do not yet know in detail the historical and cultural significance of the find, but that area is proving to be a real treasure for our archaeology," minister Alberto Bonisoli said in a release.

The theater was originally built in 1870 as the Teatro Nuovo. It closed in 1910, was remodeled as a movie theater and reopened in 1913. It was renamed and underwent further transformations over the years before it closed in 1997, Qui Como reported.

The coins were taken to a research facility in Milan to be examined and restored.