Who needs to win the lottery when you could potentially discover a hidden fortune right in your own backyard? All it takes is a metal detector and a healthy dose of patience.
Forget about ancient coins and golden chalices – imagine stumbling upon a whopping 5,000 Anglo-Saxon silver coins, valued at an estimated £1 million. Now that’s a true buried treasure!
Back in 2015, an amazing find of more than 5,000 Anglo Saxon coins was dug up near Lenborough, Buckinghamshire. This discovery was the biggest of its kind in recent history. The lucky person behind this exciting find was none other than metal detector enthusiast Paul Coleman. Interestingly, he almost didn’t make it to the site due to a shortage of funds for gas money.
Paul Coleman, a metal detector enthusiast, recently made an exciting discovery estimated to be worth around £1.3 million. The incredible stash of coins he found was believed to have been buried after the Battle of Hastings to hide it from the Norman invaders. Experts were impressed by the excellent condition of the coins, with each one expected to fetch at least £250, making the total collection worth over £1.3 million. Paul was planning to share this impressive sum with the landowner.
In a similar tale of metal detecting success, Reg Mead and Richard Miles uncovered an Iron Age “hedge fund” valued at approximately £10 million back in 2012. After more than 30 years of searching, the dedicated duo struck gold by finding a large hoard of ancient coins in Jersey. Their persistence paid off as they meticulously combed through fields following rumors of a farmer discovering silver coins on his property.
In 2012, a pair of metal detector enthusiasts stumbled upon a massive collection of ancient coins that could be valued at up to £10million. The discovery consisted of between 30,000 to 50,000 Celtic silver and gold coins from the 1st Century BC, buried for over 2,000 years under a hedge. This find is being considered the largest single discovery of Iron Age coins in Europe. Each coin is estimated to be worth between £100 and £200, but the ownership of the coins is still being determined.
Another impressive discovery was made four years ago by a treasure hunter who found a hoard of late Roman gold coins on their very first outing with a metal detector. The 159 “solidi” coins, dating back 1,600 years to the end of Roman rule, were initially estimated to be valued at £100,000. The unsuspecting treasure hunter, a car salesman, found the stash of gold coins in woodlands near St Albans, Herts.
Setting out on a metal detecting adventure near Ringlemere, East Kent in 2001, hobbyist Cliff Bradshaw unknowingly unearthed a rare golden chalice known as the Ringlemere Cup. The exquisite cup, dating back to the early Bronze Age and the second of its kind found in Britain, was eventually sold to the British Museum for £270,000.
In 2009, a significant discovery of over 3,500 historical pieces was made in a farmer’s field in Lichfield, Staffordshire by Terry Herbert. Known as the king’s ransom hoard, the collection consisted of Anglo-Saxon gold, jasper sword hilts, golden animals, and opulent rings with an estimated value of £3.26million. The treasure was confiscated by the Crown and is currently housed at the British Museum.
Lastly, a treasure hunter found a medieval ring in Sherwood Forest, the legendary home of Robin Hood, which could fetch up to £70,000. Mark Thompson, who works by spray painting fork lift trucks, was in the famous Nottinghamshire woodland for only 20 minutes before his metal detector alerted him to the valuable find.
A medieval ring was recently discovered by a treasure hunter in the famous Sherwood Forest, known for being the stomping grounds of the legendary Robin Hood. The 34-year-old treasure hunter, who had just started this hobby a year and a half ago, was not expecting to stumble upon anything valuable. However, as he sifted through the dirt, a glimmer of gold caught his eye, revealing a beautiful piece of jewelry adorned with a precious sapphire.
Experts have appraised the ring to be worth anywhere between £20,000 and £70,000, making it quite a valuable find. Similarly, in October of this year, another amateur metal detector enthusiast found a Tudor ring in a muddy field using a simple detector bought on eBay. Initially, Lee Rossiter, 43, almost discarded the ring after a friend suggested it was likely just costume jewelry. However, upon further inspection, experts confirmed that the ring was made of 80% gold and contained rubies and emeralds, ultimately selling for an estimated £20,000. It just goes to show that hidden treasures can be found in the most unexpected places!
Mark Thompson had only been in the well-known Nottinghamshire forest for a short time, about 20 minutes, when his metal detector beeped, and he uncovered a beautiful and intricate ring.
Last month, a Tudor-era ring was discovered by a hobbyist metal detectorist who was using a simple metal detector purchased on eBay.
Lee Rossiter, a 43-year-old man, came close to tossing the ring into the trash after his friend dismissed it as having little value. The ring, known as the Golden Nugget, is believed to be worth around £20,000.
