Rare 17th century French coin discovered in grounds of Guernsey's Sausmarez Manor

A rare 17th century French coin has been discovered in the grounds of a historic house in Guernsey.

Metal detectorist Nicola White found it at Sausmarez Manor on Wednesday 7 August.

The piece is believed to have been in circulation between 1655 and 1658 during the reign of French King Louis XIV.

It was worth one 80th of a Livre Tournois, the currency used in France until it was replaced by the Franc in 1795 following the 1789 Revolution.

British and French coinage was used as legal tender in the Channel Islands at that time before Guernsey started producing its own money.

Nicola says: "It's just so exciting to dig up a coin from so long ago and think that the last person who held this was walking the earth on the 17th century.

"Because this manor has so much history associated with it, it could even have been held last by somebody in Peter's family [de Sausmarez] which is just magical."

Peter de Sausmarez is Guernsey's Seigneur and his family has been living in the island since 1120.

Nicola also discovered a gold ring and several other more recent coins.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...