Indiana Jones-inspired detectorist's coin haul fetches £132,000
A haul of coins discovered by a metal detectorist inspired by Indiana Jones has been sold at auction for £132,865.
George Ridgway, 34, found the collection in a field in the grounds of Helmingham Hall near Stowmarket, Suffolk in 2019.
The collection found by Mr Ridgway, who works for the family butcher business, had a pre-sale estimate of £75,000.
The collection of 748 gold and silver coins is estimated to date from as early as 206 BC through to the Roman emperor Claudius in 46/47 AD.
The proceeds from the hoard are being split between the landowner and Mr Ridgway.
Mr Ridgway made the discovery after spotting an an unusual crop mark in a recently harvested barley field in Suffolk.
He investigated the area with his metal detector.
He said: "I knew that a Roman road ran close to the field and was hoping the two might be related, but after scouring the area nothing turned up.
“I moved away 30 yards, and recovered two early Roman bronze Colchester type brooches dating from the mid 1st century AD."
Another clear signal nearby from the detector then revealed a silver denarius, a coin that had been issued by Julius Caesar nearly 2,000 years ago.
Over the next three hours of searching, he found 160 more Roman silver coins, with a few of the coins stuck to pottery fragments.
"I knew I had made an important archaeological discovery and called my dad to guard the site overnight while we waited for an archaeological team to arrive and excavate the site. It took three months to recover the hoard.”
More than 680 of the coins were sold at auction by Noonans Mayfair in London on Wednesday, less than 63 of them that were claimed by museums for their collections.
Their hammer price was £132,865.
Alice Cullen, coin specialist at Noonans, said: “We are very pleased with the result of today’s sale.
“This is one of the largest hoards containing both Iron Age coins and Roman coins found in Britain, with the latest coins of Claudius and those of Cunobelin in virtually as struck condition.
“The location of the hoard together with the date range suggests the coins may have been buried by a long-serving Legionary soldier from the XX Legion, who were stationed at nearby Colchester.
“In 47 AD the East Anglian Iceni tribe rebelled after the Roman governor Ostorius ordered them to disarm, resulting in a fierce battle that was likely held at Stonea Camp in Cambridgeshire, which the Romans won.
When asked what he would like to do with the proceeds, the Mr Ridgway said: “Firstly, I would like to buy my dad a pint.”
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