Kent couple strike gold as precious coin worth thousands found buried at back of drawer

A couple from Tunbridge Wells are celebrating after a 400-year-old gold coin worth thousands of pounds was discovered hidden in a pile of old pennies belonging to their late aunt.

They had called in auctioneers to look at a box of 20th century coins they found tucked away at the back of a dressing table drawer.

The sharp-eyed antiques valuer caught a glint of gold as he rummaged through the pile and on closer inspection he realised it was a highly valuable 17th century coin.

The couple had assumed it was fake so took little notice of it.

The Charles 1 gold Unite (20 shillings) coin dates back to circa 1625 and will go under the hammer with an estimate of £1,500-£2,500 next month,

Antiques valuer and manager of Hansons Royal Tunbridge Wells’ office said: "It was amazing to pluck out a 400 year old Charles I gold coin from a mish-mash of mainly low value coins.

"We will never know how this historical gem ended up languishing in a dressing table drawer for, probably for decades.

"Gold sometimes gets overlooked when its discovered by chance as people automatically assume they can’t be lucky enough to have found the real thing.

"The find seems timely ahead of the coronation of King Charles III."

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