Detectorists unearth 69,347 Iron Age coins in Jersey, Channel Isles

Treasure hunters have set a record for the largest coin hoard discovered in the British Isles after unearthing 69,347 Roman and Celtic coins that were buried three feet beneath a hedge in Jersey, Channel Isles.

Britain's largest coin hoard of gold and silver pieces was found under a hedge on Jersey
in the Channel Islands [Credit: David Ferguson]

Metal detectorists Reg Mead and Richard Miles spent 30 years searching the field for the £10million treasure after a woman described seeing what looked like silver buttons in the area.

Their find - made in 2012 - trumps the previous record holding discovery of 54,951 Iron Age coins unearthed in Wiltshire in 1978.

The coins were found by metal detectorists encased in clay. It is believed that
they were hidden in the field around 50BC [Credit: Jersey Heritage]

Some of the silver and gold relics from the Guinness Record setting discovery, dated to around 50BC, will go on display at La Hougue Bie Museum on the island.

'We are not surprised at this achievement and are delighted that such an impressive archaeological item was discovered, examined and displayed in Jersey,' said curator of archaeology at Jersey Heritage Olga Finch.

The coins were carefully extracted after they were detected three feet
beneath a hedge [Credit: Jersey Heritage]

'Once again, it puts our Island in the spotlight of international research of Iron Age coinage and demonstrates the world class heritage that Jersey has to offer.'

Mr Miles said he and Mr Mead had been involved in the process the whole way through and described receiving the Guinness World Record certificates as 'lovely'.

Conservator for the Jersey Heritage Museum Neil Mahrer begins to carefully dig
the silver and gold treasures out of the clay [Credit: Jersey Heritage]

The coins were found to have been entombed in a mound of clay weighing three quarters of a ton and measuring 55 x 31 x 8 inches.

They were declared a 'treasure' under the Treasure Act 1996, which means they officially belong to the Queen, although the finders are entitled to a reward.

Detectorists Reg Mead and Richard Miles found the coins sealed
 inside a slab of clay in 2012 [Credit: SWNS.com]

Mr Mead has said that the least valuable coins in the hoard are likely to be worth £100 each, suggesting a valuation of several million pounds, without taking into account the precious jewellery also found in it.

However, there has been discussion over whether the price would come down because so many coins had been found, reducing their rarity.

Some of the coins after cleaning [Credit: Jersey Heritage]

The previous largest coin hoard from Wiltshire was discovered in 1978 at the former Roman town of Cunetio near to Mildenhall.

The largest hoard of coins ever found in the world was in Brussels in 1908 with 150,000 silver medieval pennies from the 13th Century uncovered.

Author: Luke Andrews | Source: Daily Mail [February 02, 2020]



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