Brads gold statue valuation £18,000

The Treasure valuation committee met in Dec to decide on a value for our 7 finds declared Treasure by the Essex coroner in Sept. Ten Brad has received an initial offer of £18,000 for his gold statue find but the other 6 guys have yet to get an offer. Both the landowner and finder can appeal the decision and present proof that the valuation should be higher or accept the offer and then receive a cheque in the mail for half each. The English treasure act is the fairest system in the world where the finder is rewarded with the fair market value as set by a panel of experts and dealers.






Treasure Report: 2008 T581
Parish/County: Tendring District, Essex
A medieval figure of John the Baptist. The saint is shown not in his usual attribute of a camel skin, but in the robes of a prophet. He gestures with his right hand to a salver, which he holds in his left. This was originally designed to carry a lamb, the Lamb of God. A scroll issues from the Saint’s left hand and is inscribed with the words
: ECCE +ANGUS+DEI
(Behold, the Lamb of God)
The figure stands on a small plinth with a finished base. It is designed to be seen in the round and on its back there is a loop for attachment to an object. It would probably have been entirely enamelled, but no traces of enamel survive on the figure.
The figure is gold and dates from the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century.
Dimensions: height 33 mm, width 11 mm, depth 10 mm.
Consequently, in terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

J P Robinson
Curator of Medieval Collections
30th March 2009