29th May 2022 FOTY voting and gold ingot curator report

I am currently busy compiling all the export applications for the guys find pouches found in the 2nd half of the season. Full pictures and detailed finds lists are posted onto the closed members forum. I am also updating the individual finds pages on our site with 2nd half finds, links below.

Members are now voting for their 'favourite find of the year' and the winner gets the engraved silver urn trophy to keep and a few weeks detecting holiday as the prize. Each member gets a guess at the 'Forum Competition' to win another free weeks trip. Details and rules of the competition and logged guesses are posted on the ForumCompPage. This seasons competition is to try and guess the number of copper coins found during the season. Good luck.

I just got an e-mail from the British museum and they have finally tested and written the curators report on the huge gold ingot below found in 2018 by Wis Tim. It is an amazing report showing that the ingot it is 95% ancient gold and the 2nd largest ever recorded. Tim won FOTY for this find and I expect the museum will try and acquire this find.

Monster ancient gold ingot - 81.54g,40.82mm L, 21.05mm W, 10.02mm T

'This is the second largest gold ingot found in isolation recorded on the database'

PAS reference: ESS-D8C598
Finder: Tim B
Date of Discovery: 26.1.2018
Circumstances of Discovery: Metal detecting.
Date: Late Roman -Early Medieval.
Description: A Gold Ingot that is oval in plan and semi-circular in cross section flattening out towards the ends.
Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of a gold ingot from Little Bromley, Essex indicated a surface composition of approximately 94-95% gold, 4-6% silver, the rest being copper.
Dimensions: The ingot is 40.85mm long, 20.94mm wide and 10.03mm at it’s thickest point. It weighs 81.16g.
Discussion: This is the second largest gold ingot found in isolation recorded on the database.
Although it is difficult to be certain, the ingot conforms in weight to one quarter of a Roman pound (c. 327.45g). In addition, it shares similarities with ingots that have been found within hoards dating to the late Roman period, in particular a silver ingot in the Whorlton-by-Guisborough hoard, Yorkshire (Wiegels 2003, cat. 30).
There are several similarly shaped examples on the database to this item although the interpretation of their date varies. For example many (GLO-64767B, SF-DACA35 and NMS-23FFF2) are thought to be Early Medieval in date and so classed as treasure due to the presence of transverse hammer marks which is suggested to be a feature that occurs only occasionally on silver and gold ingots in England and can be paralleled in the Cuerdale, Lancashire, hoard deposited around AD 905. Similarly other broadly domed examples without these hammer marks are also attributed to the Early Medieval period (KENT-B43CF3, DENO-938F3D, YORYM-7706AD and NCL-A04B68).
Yes there are also many examples which are highlighted as not being possible to date (HAMP-5015EC, HAMP-8593E7, YORYM-89E4AD and KENT-B1B4B9) highlighting that while gold and silver ingots are frequently presumed to be of Viking origin as the Vikings operated a bullion economy most in context examples have hammer marks. This example weighing 81.16 grams is similar to 3 times a Viking ounce (c.27 grams) such that it may be appropriate to suggest this represents an ingot.
Conclusion: In terms of age and precious metal content, this artefact qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 - Subject to Coroner's Inquest.
Reference: Wiegels, R. 2003. Silberbarren der römischen Kaiserzeit. Liedorf.

Report by: Colin Rose. PAS Volunteer.
Checked by Sophie Flynn, Essex FLO
Contributors: Dr Edward Caswell, Finds Liaison Officer, Oxfordshire; Richard Hobbs, British, Europe & Prehistory, The British Museum
Edits: British Museum Treasure Team

	Celtic gold coin page		William III
	Clog fasteners		Coin weights
	Trade weights		Named regiment buttons
	Numbered regiment buttons		Royal Artillery buttons
	Foreign military buttons		Toy cannons

7th May End of the season - Returned treasures

Ashley gets her Wayne Otto award for detectorist with the 'best attributes' cup before COVD hit. She is also pictured with her freebie Club sweatshirt and mug for her beauty AGR Celtic gold find

Ashley's team

Agr- AD 35-43 Celtic gold qtr stater.

Corn ear without central stalk, CAM to L,CVN to R, , Horse rearing r, dashes to main, branch above, cross below, A in ex.



Extremely rare ref ABC 2999 Rudd 17.28


Suggested AGR is a Roman name like Agrippa or Agrippina.

12.36mm, 1.245g

Louisiana Ashley's Barn team always finish off the season with a late hunt in April even though they have restricted field choices due to the crops shooting up. It did not stop them having another blinding hunt with 75 silver coins dug, including Saxon and Roman and some great relics. Ashley managed to find her first ever Celtic gold coin with a supper rare AGM qtr stater, another new field for us now with Celtic gold.

I have posted tons of their finds onto the latest finds page and have loads more to upload yet from their pouches. I have split the finds pages into two to help with loading times.

New 2022 April finds page

2022 March finds page

I had a meeting with the museum last week to drop of the recent treasure and hoard finds to start the Treasure process. I was amazed that I got back 25 disclaimed items to return to the finders. They included multiple Celtic gold coin finds, posted below, that were reported as hoard addendum coins.

1977 gold ring with stone - London hall mark 0.375

Maker JWF

2.0g, 17.4mm

Unusual Plumed Bird Primary Saxon silver sceat 600- 700 AD -sent to EMC for recording and ID

0.875g,11.76mm

I have recorded this as EMC 2022.0187.

This is the Runic Æthiliraed type (Type 105), which has the runes for Æthili-raed in two lines. In the 19th century it was suggested that this is Æthelred of Mercia (674-704), but a moneyer's name is another possibility.

Best regards,

Martin

Medieval Knights Templar finger ring

Founded in Jerusalem in 1118 by Hugo de Payns and eight other French knights, with the name of Poor Knights of Christ. Their mission was to protect pilgrims who came to the Holy Places. Later, the king of Jerusalem, Baldwin II, installed them in the near the ancient temple of Solomon palace, so they changed their name to the Knights Templar. During the time of the Crusades, the Templars actively participated in the defense of Palestine, which had many strengths. At the same time they acted as bankers pilgrims, so they obtained great wealth. Being expelled the Christians of Palestine, the Templars retreated to Cyprus. In the Iberian peninsula they were established during the twelfth century; first in Catalonia, Aragon and Navarra. They were responsible for the defense of the borders and participated in numerous expeditions against the Muslims (conquest of Lleida, Tortosa, Valencia, Mallorca, etc.). On the death of Alfonso the Battler were named heirs, along with other military orders, the kingdom of Aragon; in exchange for his resignation inheritance received various strengths. All this contributed to the economic and social dominance of the Templars were ever increasing, so that in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries owned large estates in the eastern part of the peninsula. In the castellanoleonés kingdom they were established shortly after Aragon, also collaborating in the task of Recapture. Alfonso VII gave them the strength of Calatrava; They collaborated in making Cuenca, in the famous battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212) and the conquest of Seville. In France, the Templars had become bankers of kings. Philip IV the Fair, dedicated to seize their property, convinced Pope Clement V that initiate a process against the Templars, accusing them of impiety (1307). The Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay, and 140 members were arrested. Presumed innocent at the Council of Vienne (1311), Clement V dissolved the order and created a commission to reeprendió the process. They were sentenced to prison, but the royal council of Philip IV sentenced to death by relapses. The king seized their chattels and gave his possessions to the hospital. In the other European countries did not prosper the allegations but, following the dissolution of the order, the Templars were dispersed and their property passed to the Crown (Castilla), other orders new foundation (Montesa in Valencia and Jesus Christ in Portugal).

Georgian silver collar studd - looks like a tree design behind a clear rock crystal

16th C Tudor gilded silver pin head - reported as treasure to museum

4.89g, 12.17mm dia

1679 Charles II milled silver four pence

1859 Silver pendant with 1842 Victoria milled silver four pence coin sandwiched between the glass

Maker JS - Birmingham assay mark

Jesse Sargeant 1835
(registered Feb 1834) Caroline Street, Birmingham

Picked up disclaimed hoard coins from the museum to be returned to the finders

5th April 2022 More gold and interesting relics

What a great range of widgets being dug and I have already posted tons more onto the latest finds page 2022 March finds. The guys left today so I have a weeks worth of their finds to post yet to that page. I have a nice break for a couple of weeks now until the last team of the season comes in on the 23rd April. Louisiana Ashley's team always do a late hunt every season and have managed to win 'team of the year' for the last 4 years running. It will be amazing if they can repeat it again.

Nj Joe, on his first trip here, popped a mint Dubnovellaunos Celtic gold qtr stater last week and got his freebie Club sweatshirt and Club mug as a bonus for such a beauty find. Nh Dean managed to find a mint Queen Anne milled silver four pence, first we have ever found and also a mint undamaged Victorian silver spoon on pastureland near an old church.

I have posted a picture below of an ancient silver coin that so far I have been unable to find in any of my reference books. If you recognise it please mail me with an ID as I am stumped. I have also posted an unknown Edward hammered silver penny of the Bristol mint with a curious mark in the centre of the reverse cross. My reference books show no Bristol mint coins with any mark ? If you have any info on this coin can you drop me an e-mail with details please.

Our first ever 1709 Anne milled silver four pence

Nj Joe with his goodies

c. 20 BC-AD 10 Eastern uninscribed Celtic gold qtr stater of Dubnovellaunos sent to museum for recording

12.19mm,1.34g

Dubnovellaunos in Essex quarter, VA 1660, BMC 2442, ABC 2395

Beauty 14th C seal matrix

Ancient silver coin

P. Clodius M.f. Turrinus ; AR Denarius ;42 BC. Rome mint

16th C stone cannon ball

c14th C Medieval heraldic shield pendant

The shield bears the arms of England before c.1340 (Three Lions)

Roman protected loop terret

'Protected loop terrets are usually considered to be Roman and dating to the late first and second centuries AD'

Unknown ancient coin - I am not certain if this is Celtic as I cannot find it in any of my books. It looks similar to a South Western Uninscribed  Hobbs 2795 but it is not the right weight or material.

Sent for ID

3.44g, 18.66mm

Large Continent milled silver coin - researching it

6 Stuivers "Rijderschelling"

Obverse

Date above crowned arms (eagle) dividing value

Lettering:
1689
6S
Mono Arg Civ Daventriae

Translation: Silver money of the city of Deventer

Reverse

Knight on a striding horse

Lettering: Concordia res parvae crescunt

Translation:
Concordance makes small things grow

(Unity is strength)

Rare find c12thC Medieval heraldic shield type lead trade weight - hammer symbol

Mint silver spoon dug on pastureland - gilded bowl still exists

1873 Victoria silver spoon with full set of hall marks -London mint - Queens bust duty paid bust

Maker SS - Sarah Snatt

1889 dated pendant - ATA Crookshank Cross for six month's abstinence

Army Temperance Association (ATA) in 1893, which soon had over 70,000 members. The ATA also adopted the Soldiers’ Total Abstinence Association's motto of ‘Watch and Be Sober’.

It provided temperance institutes for its members, sponsored a wide range of sporting activities and promoted regimental campaigns towards sobriety. It continued awarding medals, such as that for three years' temperance

Unknown mark at centre of reverse cross - No Bristol minted coins have any mark !!

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny

Obv +EDWR ANGLE DNS hYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/EBO/RACI - Bristol mint

24th March 2022 More gold and monster relics

Loads more Celtic gold being found on old land and monster relics like the Bronze Age sickle below being found on new land. Chicago Ron found his 23rd gold coin, the 50BC Clacton type and then the Bronze Age sickle which is a mega rare find, very few are recorded on PAS and our first. Finding a Celtic silver coin is a lot rarer find around Colchester especially as the one found below is classed as 'Unique' in Ref ABC Chris Rudd 32.78.

I have uploaded tons of other great silver and relic pictures to the latest finds page 2022 March finds

Trinovantes British G “Clacton” quarter, Hobbs 192 Celtic gold 1/4 stater 50BC - reported to museum

Chris Rudd 23.41 Clacton de Jersey - Classed as scarce

1.053g,13.75mm

10-40 AD Cunobelin Celtic gold qtr stater - reported to museum

Wild type - Corn ear without central stork CA to l, MV to r.

Horse r, dashes for mane, branch above, CVN below VA2015 Classed as Scarce

1.366g, 10.89mm

45BC Addedomaros Celtic gold stater - reported to museum

5.5g, 16.67mm

10-40 AD Cunobelin Celtic silver unit - 0.69g - 13.9mm - sent to CCI for recording

Bitch and snake

CVN within wreath./Bitch r.,clutching snake in paws,CVN in ex.

Classed as Unique in Ref ABC Chris Rudd 32.78

Previous CCI 03.0568

Great eyeball find - Roman mill stone

c 800 BC Incredibly rare Bronze Age socketed sickle

Unique ID: BERK-AC4A08

Medieval dagger pommel

35.8g, 25mm sq x 19.5mm H

This late 13th/early 14th-century bronze dagger pommel is of the “crown style” in shape with a central incision for the tang.

14th March 2022 - Hunts start and the first Celtic gold

Missouri Brandon holding his goodies.

The guys have kicked off the 2nd half of the season with a bang. Mis Brandon popped a mint Celtic gold stater on his first day so he wins one of the Colchester Club sweatshirts and mug. He also picked up his silver cup for winning a 'pouch of the year' previous award before COVID. Can Rudy and Min Mindy also won a club sweatshirt for two beauty huge 1696 William III milled silver half crowns, these are rare as hens teeth to find. The guy are roaming around both old and new land with mixed results.One of our existing landowners was chatting to us out in the field and has offered us two new farms he owns for next Sept, not got the maps yet so don't know of their sizes.

Rudy and Mindy

1697 William III milled silver half crown (30 pence) Exeter mint		1697 William III milled silver half crown (30 pence) Coventry mint

New land gave up its first Saxon silver penny, Coenwulf 796 AD King of Mercia and a beauty Roman animal headed bronze fork. Old land gave up a couple of milled gold and the guys are digging some really cool buttons and seal matrix's.

I have started a new finds page 2022 March finds and have uploaded a ton of great finds. I have a weeks worth of finds to upload yet.

45BC Addedomaros Celtic gold stater - reported to museum

4.84G,17.38mm

Roman 'animal faced 'socketed bronze fork - multiple holes in socket for rivets to attach wood handle

1853 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

Coenwulf 796 AD King of Mercia hammered silver penny

0.836g, 18.5 mm

This is Coenwulf of Mercia, moneyer Lul. Better images and more information would certainly be very welcome.

Thanks,

Martin


This is North 363, which is reasonably common as a find - 20 coins in EMC.

Sent to EMC for recording

Thanks for these new images and the weight of the find, which I have recorded as EMC 2022.0104.

Rory Naismith's book The Coinage of Southern England 796-865 lists 24 coins of the East Anglian moneyer Lul in this type (Naismith E10.2 = North 363), to which can be added 8 coins in EMC found since the book was published, including this new find.

Best regards,

Martin

1808 George III milled gold 1/3 guinea

2.81g, 16.99mm

1640's Civil war cannon ball

0.96 Lbs - 1 pounder

1.9 inches diameter - 48.5 mm

Medieval seal ring

Used by Edward Saddler

8th Feb 2022 - Treasures and hoards - latest vid

Kick off starts on the 2nd March for the 2nd half of the season - drop me a mail if you want a hunt on the 5th March in the hotel option

I have received lots of approved export licenses and posted the list of names on the closed members forum. I have been liaising with Colchester museum to try and get the outstanding treasures and hoards moving again after COVID delays. Currently there is a huge back log at the Chelmsford Coroners court processing the inquests.

I have ordered up 30 new quality sweatshirts in mixed L, XL and XXL sizes with the Colchester Club logo on it. I have also got a pile of Colchester Club mugs ready to give away as prizes for ' beauty finds'. These will not be available to buy as they will have to won by club member, all you have to do it pop a top find.

Disclaimed gold ring

11.22g, 25.64mm -previously reported as treasure to museum

Monster ancient gold ingot - 81.54g, 40.82mm L, 21.05mm W, 10.02mm T - reported as treasure to the museum - currently with Bronze Age curator at the British Museum

I had a meeting last week with the Colchester FLO and dropped off the last of the treasures found during the first half of the season. I picked up some disclaimed Roman silver hoard coins and Wis Tim's huge gold ring find. He found that monster gold nugget above in the same area. That is currently with the Bronze Age curator at the British museum under investigation, it could be around 1000 BC depending on the gold composition. At current gold bullion value today it is about £3500 melt value , so a huge chunk of gold.

I have uploaded a load more individual find pages with the first half of the seasons finds. Lots more to do yet.

Chicago Ron just got around to posting his 2018 trip where his guys found a Saxon silver sceat hoard.

'Just finished part 1 of the Fall 2018 Barn hunt. Have 2 hours of video that will go into 3 30-minute episodes.

First episode has Celtic Gold, Roman Silver and the 10-coin Saxon sceat hoard. plus some great artifacts and loads of fun!' Ron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRXyDP3ff_Q&t=8s

	William and Mary milled gold and silver coins		James 1st hammered gold and silver coins
	Charles 1st hammered silver coins

2nd Jan 2021

Still just banging away preparing export license applications and posting the missed finds from the bags to the bottom of the latest finds page. Oct 2012 finds page.

Cal Gary had found a 2nd Roman prick spur I never saw when the hunts were underway. There was also a nice decorated Roman bronze knife pommel I cleaned up.

I have been updating more of the individual finds pages below with finds from the 1st half of the season.

2nd-3rd C Roman prick spur

2nd-3rd C Roman prick spur

Roman decorated bronze dagger pommel

	Henry VII hammered silver		Thimbles
	Henry VIII hammered silver		Early buckles
	Henry III hammered silver		Bells and whistles
	Henry 1st to John hammered silver coins		Spurs and rowels

10th Dec 2021 Updates and exporting

I am busy preparing export licenses for all the pouches found in the first half of the season, find lists and pictures are posted on the closed members forum. I have also been updating the individual finds pages below with finds from the first half of the season.

I have been adding any missed finds from the pouches I process onto the latest finds page Oct 2012 finds page.

	Clog fasteners		Celtic gold coins
	Toy Cannons		Military buttons - named regiments
	Royal Artillery buttons		Military buttons - numbered regiments
	Purse bars		Military button - foreign
	Jettons		George III gold and silver milled silver coins
	Edward III hammered gold and silver coins		Henry VI hammered gold and silver coins
	Coin weights		Trade weights
	Celtic silver and bronze coins

6th Nov 2021 Final day of the hunts and more amazing finds

The final hunt of the season is now finished until the guys return again in Feb. They found some truly remarkable finds last week from Stone age to modern and some real firsts for us. SC Jimbo found the best condition Celtic bronze unit I have ever seen, dug on a spoil tip on new land so that no oxygen got to it. He also eyeballed nearby the large Roman amphora jar handle, another first for us. Another remarkable find on a new pastureland site, that has just be ploughed for the first time, is what looks like a Roman fibular brooch with raw cut diamonds down its spine. It does not have the normal decay associated with a Roman find, again it was also protected from no oxygen which could account for its condition. I really cannot decide if is it that old so it will be an item for the museum to further investigate. I cannot find any examples of a diamond faced fibular brooch during my on-line my research. Mitch Terry on new land also found our first ever late bronze age chisel dating 1140 BC to 800 BC, beauty condition. We had three new sites to start for this September which we barely scratched as a lot of the fields were still in stubble which was to hard to hunt , when you have perfectly flat rolled fields to choose from it is a tough call to wack weed even on new land. Hopefully they will be ready for the start of the second half of the season from Feb.

One of the rarest finds from last week is a monster American silver coin found near an old church that DC Nick managed to ID, one of only twenty examples in the world. It is a Maryland 3 pence and as rare as hens teeth. Cal Rich finished off the hunt with another full Celtic gold stater that is a mega crisp example and of high gold content.

I have posted tons of great hammered silver and relics they found to the latest finds page.Oct 2012 finds page

I still have a weeks worth of finds to upload yet and will be posting them shortly to the latest finds page.

45 BC to 25BC Addedomarus Celtic gold stater - Trinovantian tribe

5.52g, 18.37mm

Addedomarus (sometimes written Aθθedomarus on coins) was a king of south-eastern Britain in the late 1st century BC.

10-40 AD Cunobelin celtic bronze unit recorded with CCI

2.7g,16mm

Obv bearded head right

Rev lion crouching r, above leaf r,below CAM inside quad ,o, pellet border

Hobbs Ref 1993

CCI 21.0775

Roman amphora jar handle

Mega rare American coin - only 20 known

Commemorative issue

4th of July in Baltimore
Obverse

Bust, facing left, surrounded by legend
Lettering: BALTIMORE . TOWN • JULY • 4 • 90 •
Engraver: Standish Barry
Reverse

Denomination surrounded by legend,
letters separated by dotted x's
Lettering:
STANDISH • BARRY .
_____
THREE
PENCE
_____
Engraver: Standish Barry
Edge

Reeded
Comments

A small number of threepence were struck by Standish Barry, a silversmith in Baltimore, Maryland. They feature a bust, facing left, surrounded by the legend: JULY • 4 • 90 • BALTIMORE • TOWN. The reverse shows the denomination with Barry’s full name along the perimeter.

For many years numismatists have speculated that the enigmatic bust on the obverse was a crude rendition of George Washington or perhaps a self-portrait of Barry. Recent research (Max B. Spiegel, “C4 Newsletter,” Spring 2009), however, uncovered contemporary sources that identify the portrait as that of James Calhoun, the first mayor of Baltimore.

The exactness of the date on the Standish Barry threepence – July 4, 1790 – has also been the subject of much speculation. It could refer to a Fourth of July celebration in the city, although no major celebration is known to have occurred in 1790. One did happen in 1809 and it was reported that the city’s silversmiths marched “under the direction of Standish Barry.” Will Nipper speculates that the “90” in the date could be a transposition of “09,” but it is unlikely that the Standish Barry threepence was issued as late as 1809.

Only around 20 Standish Barry threepence are known to have survived and most are in circulated grades. Some specimens have prominent die cracks and the piece in the collection of Colonial Williamsburg was struck from nearly shattered dies. It is likely that the dies used to strike the Standish Barry threepence failed quickly, with the result being a very limited mintage.
https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explore...-coinid-108333

Standish Barry, Baltimore, Maryland
Standish Barry, of Baltimore, circulated a silver threepence in 1790. He was a watch and clockmaker, an engraver, and, later, a silversmith. The tokens are believed to have been an advertising venture at a time when small change was scarce. The precise date on this piece may indicate that Barry intended to commemorate Independence Day, but there are no records to prove this. The head on the obverse is probably that of James Calhoun, who was active in Baltimore politics in the 1790s. The legend BALTIMORE TOWN JULY 4, 90, appears in the border. An enigmatic gold doubloon is also attributed to Barry. https://whitman.com/RedBook/Coins/De...imore-Maryland

Late bronze age chisel 1140 BC to 800 BC

12.31 g, 51mm L

11,000 BC flint scraper

Great relic made from a large silver coin

5 shillings 1892 silver
5 SHILLINGS 1892 / coat of arms SAR
ZUID AFRIKANSCHE REPUBLIEK / Paul Kruger (president) left

Roman fibular brooch with diamonds ??

Just checked on line and I cannot find any bronze fib brooches with diamonds


The fascinating sparkle and purity of diamonds has inspired human mythos throughout history. During the period of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, diamonds were thought to be tears of the gods or splinters from falling stars. One classical Greek philosopher considered diamonds to be living beings that embodied celestial spirits.
It was in the time of the Ancient Romans, however, that wearing diamonds in rings became a common practice. Since the diamond mineral is so strong, it was considered to be a protection charm and made uncut diamonds a high demand item. Furthermore, to cut a diamond was considered taboo, as it would loose it’s protective properties.

Bronze Eagle Symbolising Jupiter, God of Rome (Godmanchester’s Rectory Farm Villa complex)

Roman Eagle mount

Description and comment: Small bronze eagle symbolising Jupiter or Zeus in Greek mythology, and patron god of ancient Rome. Romans worshipped him as Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the all-powerful and also god of the state who distributes laws and controls the realm. In Greek influenced tradition, Jupiter is brother to Neptune and Pluto, each presiding over one of the three realms of the universe, the sky, the water and the underworld.

Alison Taylor, who was Cambridge County Archaeologist at the time of the English Heritage excavation at Rectory Farm in the 1990s, says the little eagle would probably have stood in a house temple, lararium, in Godmanchester’s Rectory Farm Villa complex (it has two villas). The eagle’s provenance is from a nearby gravel quarry. The villa farm estate at Rectory Farm is grand and may have been the residence of the most important and richest Roman in Godmanchester.

Ms Taylor says ‘The eagle has a small projection at the base. It could be fitted to a long metal pole so that the figurine could be paraded or set in front of the altar in a small temple.

A mini version of the eagle who would be carried in front of the Roman army by the aquilifer.

13th Oct 2021 Brilliant 3rd week with more gold

The guys are having a great 3rd week of hunting and our 3 new sites have really started producing some great finds. Conditions are still challenging with the guys trying out some more stubble fields on the new land but other fields are now been ploughed and rolled making detecting easier. Celtic gold coins have been found on both the old and new land and some beautiful medieval groats are turning up on the new farms. I have uploaded loads more silver and widgets to the new Oct 2021 finds page with tons more yet to process.

I have started a new Oct 2012 finds page to speed up load times.

C1351 Edward III hammered gold qtr noble ?? - totally taco'd

1.78g, 23mm

21st June - 28th May 1837 - London hall mark - Victoria duty paid bust , maker S.S (Samuel Strahan)

0.6g, 16mm dia

Celtic gold qtr stater - 11.11 mm,1.32g - Sent to museum for recording

looks like a

Northern Gold 'Linear type' - pellet over M

Obv corn ear,to 1 CA, to r.MV

Rev horse r ., pellet, leaf q & pellet, below CVN, pellet boarder va

Celtic gold qtr stater - 9.45 mm,1.26g - Sent to museum for recording

Cunobelin wild type quarter, VA 1935, ABC 2813

1801 George III milled gold 1/3rd guinea

2.80g,17mm

• Laureate Bust - Legend "FIDEI DEFENSOR + BRITANIARUM REX"
• Gold

• Laureate Bust - Legend "·MAG·BRI·FR·ET·HIB·REX·"
• Gold

1302-07 Edward 1st Class X: Bifoliate crown Jetton Obv Bust (classs 10) accosted by stars :borde, pellets and stars Rev Long cross moline , 5 pellet cluster in each angle:border, star in each segment Ref Mitchiner 96
1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC x DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - +POSVIo DEVMx ADIVTORE MEVM	1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC x DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - +POSVIo DEVMx ADIVTORE MEVM
1363-1369 Edward III hammered silver groat - Treaty series - Mint mark Cross potent - double satire stops on rev Obv EDWARD DEI G REX ANGLo DNS ohYB oZo AQT Rev - CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint	1356 -61 Edward III hammered silver groat - 4th issue Pre Treaty period - Cross 3, Series G Top arches not fleured - annulet stops Ob +EDW******ANGLo IoZ FRANC D hYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON London mint
1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - +POSVIo DEVMx ADIVTORE MEVM	1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - +POSVIo DEVMx ADIVTORE MEVM

1st Oct 2021 - Great first week and more gold

The guys left last Saturday after a great first week of hunting and they got a great range of coins and relics. The new land is still unhuntable as the stubble and ground is still hard as a rock with the lack of rain. Florida Mitch came in early to join the new team that arrives this Saturday . However the dry ground did not stop Louisiana Sal popping a beauty 1760's George III gold love token and Florida Mitch finding one of the crispest pure gold Adde Celtic gold staters we have ever found, I think that is our 66th Adde Celtic tribe stater find since I started the club. Check out our Celtic gold page link below to see all of our Celtic gold coin finds.

http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/celticgoldcoins.html

I have posted a load more of finds they made to the latest finds page.2021 Sept finds page

Florida Mitch (left) and Louisiana Sal holding their golds

45 BC to 25BC Addedomarus Celtic gold stater - Trinovantian tribe

5.43g, 19mm dia

Addedomarus (sometimes written Aθθedomarus on coins) was a king of south-eastern Britain in the late 1st century BC.

1762 George III milled gold qtr guinea

16mm, 2.04g

No idea what this is really ??

I thought it had IE on the back like a 17thC lead token but not sure as it could be a cross.

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver long cross penny - Class 10ab Ornate R Obv +EDWAR R ANGL DNS hYB Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint	16thC Tudor gilded silver clothing fastener
1194-1204 John hammered silver short cross penny, Class 4a Obv hENRICVS REX Rev +STIVENE.ON.LVI - Moneyer Stivene of London mint (Class 2 -4b)	1571 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpence

19th Sept 2021 - First Celtic gold after COVID

45 BC to 25BC Addedomarus Celtic gold stater - Trinovantian tribe

5.55g, 17mm dia

Addedomarus (sometimes written Aθθedomarus on coins) was a king of south-eastern Britain in the late 1st century BC.

Pictures sent from the field of a 600 AD Saxon silver sceat

It is great to be back out there searching after the COVID break even with the limited numbers of members returning this season. However it did not stop Virginia Phill from popping our first Celtic gold of the season, a beauty 45 BC Addedomarus stater. Mo Dan also popped our first early medieval find, a crisp Saxon silver sceat which I have not taken proper pictures of yet. A couple of very interesting Roman silver tribute pennies have also been found and Mark Lehman has produced a great write up on them below.

Dry weather has hampered us searching all our new land yet as they are still in stubble and baked rock hard with our lack of rain, later teams might luck out if they get ploughed.

However the guys are hitting our older land and finding a great range of relics and coins which I have started posting to new finds page, check it out on the link below.

2021 Sept finds page

I sent off the Roman silver to Mark Lehman for ID and it was a very interesting write up below Tiberius Caesar Augustus was the second Roman emperor, reigning from AD 14 to 37 You have here two so-called “tribute pennies” – Tiberius basically only issued a single type of denarius in any quantity throughout his long (~ 23 years) rein so they’re really not in the least “rare” in the greater sense. If it were not for the assumed biblical connection, these would be among the least expensive 1st century silver coins. However, for whatever reason (personally, I think it was a brilliant piece of “marketing” on the part of a 19th century coin dealer) this type, which is actually fairly unlikely to have been circulating widely in the Levant at the presumed time – the Augustus, Gaius & Lucius denarii have a better chance of fitting the bill for the most likely coin – during the time the “incident” (if it was not pure allegory) occurred. This was the parable in which Jesus is asked a “gotcha!” question about money. He is famously supposed to have said words to the effect of: “see you this portrait – whose is it?” - “Why, Lord, Caesar’s portrait, of course” – to which he replied something on the order of, “So, render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s” – ergo the coin, if the type were able to be determined, could be termed “The tribute penny”. A nice parable, at any rate, no matter how true or accurate it might be. So, they are sought (and vastly overpaid for) by many, many non-numismatists who are impressed by the presumptive biblical connection. Therefore, these really fairly common denarii are among the most expensive early Roman Imperial coin-types to acquire. Due to their non-numismatic popularity, they bring prices more in line with the actual rarities of the Julio-Claudian era (like Caligula and Claudius, both of whose denarii are very difficult to find). Although there are some who break this enormous issue up into presumed chronological classes separated by minor stylistic differences – Tiberius’ portrait aging, variations in the legs of the chair on the reverse, etc – they are generally referred to under a single catalog number. RIC I, 26 and/or RSC 16. Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS – laureate head of Tiberius right. Rx: PONTIF MAXIM - female (presumed by many to be Livia) seated right holding scepter and branch. Happy and successful hunting, now that you’re able to get back in the field. Mark

Large thumb size type medieval beehive thimble	1818 George III milled silver half crown (30 pence)
Mid 14thC c1449 Dolphin type bronze Jetton - south eastern France Bowed Dolphin left, holding a purse in mouth +LE:NOBLE:ET.FIER:POI Rev Triple stranded straight cross fleuretty within 4 arched tressure arpind C-A-V-E	1567 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver three pence
1279 Edward 1st hammered silver long cross penny Egg waisted S - Closed C and E Obv +EDWAR ANGL DNS hYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint	1300-10 Edward II hammered silver farthing- new issue with inner circles both sides - oval flan - Type 28f Annulet stops Obv EDWARDVS o Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

28th August 2021 - Huge new map posted - hunts are a go

I had an update from the museum this week and a new FLO has been recruited and starts in Oct. A new assistant also starts in September and will start to try and catch up on delayed treasures and hoards not processed during COVID.

An existing landowner has just sent us a huge new map of his land us to search from Sept. It is bigger than I thought at 23 fields total in a prime Bronze Age Celtic area very near to where I live. He has also given us another one of his farms in Brightlingsea on the coast and I am waiting for those maps to arrive. I have posted the map on the closed members forum where guys have already been searching the historical records on the land with some very interesting results. The limited number of teams comings here this season will have their work cut out trying to hotspot that sucker.

The first 'Barn' teams definitely arrive now on the 15th Sept as everything is now booked and paid for, their '2nd day' jabs are pre -booked at Heathrow ready.

I am still running some 'hotel' only trips from Oct and there is still space on the 2nd week, 9th Oct to 16th Oct week. I posted below what the hotel option includes.

Hotel link

Private taxis to and from Heathrow airport – 93miles away
Own on suite double room in a very modern hotel
Full English breakfast included
Pick up drop off transport to the fields
Lunchtime food that includes hot pasties, hot dogs and onions, sandwiches, crisps, cake, chocolate bars and fruit. Fizzy drinks + hot water for coffee and tea. Hot soup if the weather is colder.

The only meal you have to find and pay for is either in the hotel or in Colchester town.

The hotel has a special deal for an evening meal option you can add and guys love the food they serve.

The price also includes the ID of all your finds, reporting and recording with Colchester museum and the preparation of the export license applications. You get a word document with a detailed list and coloured photos of all your finds mailed to you. Detecting is 8am to dusk as we do have not set finishing times and it is agreed by the hunters.

Drop me a mail if you are interested.

14th August 2021 - Open in Sept - more new land

With the lifting of quarantine restrictions we are now attempting to re -open on the 15th September for a first hunt. There are several hoops to go through with the multiple testing but two 'Barn' teams who have confirmed they are definitely coming. The 'Full board house' has had to be canceled in case the owners get infected which would jeopardise future dates at that house. However the 'Hotel' option is still going ahead with the first dates set in October. This is the best option as you can self isolate in your own room. I have added dates from 9th Oct in the hotel if you need a detecting fix.

I had an e-mail from the curator at the Colchester museum and they have been recruiting for a new FLO last week. We have a huge backlog of outstanding treasures and hoards to be resolved.

I am waiting for maps for two new farms we have been offered by a landowner for September. One is local to me in my village and another in Brightlingsea. With the limited numbers of members coming this season it is going to be tough to hotspot these sites.

6th June 2021 - Museum now open - big bag of returned treasures and hoards

Treasure number 2018 T899

Pure gold medieval gold ring with red stone - disclaimed

0.98g, 13.69mm L

Pure gold ancient ring

11.22g, 25.64mm - disclaimed

Celtic gold votive offering as ring money - disclaimed

Gold ring money- 1st C BC
Smooth ring with blunt ends Van Arsdell 1-3 Taylor pl33 Hobbs-- SCBS-- CE4244

6.86g, 32mm L

5thC Roman gold ID'd by Mark Lehman

Very cool! I’m always impressed by the gold you folks find – it looks like it won’t be too terribly hard a job to straighten it out.
Anastasius, 491-518 AD.
AV solidus (your metrology here)
Mint of Constantinople
Obv: D N ANASTA-SIVS PP AVG
helmeted and cuirassed bust of Anastasius three-quarter face to right, holding spear and shield
Rx: VICTORI-A AVGGG (I?) <– officina designation character
Victory standing left holding voided cross; to right, star // CONOB
SBCV 2; DOC 3-5

It’s easy (to the extent that it is easy) because gold doesn’t get encrusted or corroded. However, I get to work on so little gold that it’s hardly like the “in my sleep” identification of things like common LRB’s. But you’re right, not too much of a challenge. I wish I could tell you it was a rare type, but this is among the most common (and is the earliest) “Byzantine” solidus. This general type, however, the facing armored bust and Victory holding voided cross solidi, goes back well into the late Roman tradition, beginning probably at least a century prior to Anastasius “hybrid” reign (he’s considered both the final “Roman” emperor and the first Byzantine emperor in the numismatic community as it was he who introduced the typical Byzantine large Æ coinage with M, K, I, E etc, marks of value on the reverses in ca 498 and so has both Roman-style and Byzantine-style Æ coinages.
Mark

4.51g, 19.5mm

The Colchester FLO has still not been replaced but the curator and a helper have managed to get a large number of our disclaimed treasures and hoards together that I picked up . They included the first 11 Saxon sceats found in our Saxon sceat hoard now disclaimed found in 2019, seven more to be returned yet. Check out our Saxon sceat hoard page. The finds above have been disclaimed and I have applied for export licenses for all the items so guys can take them home on their next trip or have them shipped.

We are currently aiming to start the new season as planned in September, COVID allowing. The link on our accommodation site details free spaces on all of our different type of hunts.

http://www.essexfarmholidays.co.uk/barnavailabilty.html

28th Feb 2021 - Still closed due to COVID - more updates

All the Feb/March hunts have had to be canceled due to COVID. The normal Sept season opening is expected to go ahead depending on how the vaccine roll-out goes. The on- line export license applications have been working very well and all but one approved export licenses have arrived in the post. I only have one more to be approved.

Meanwhile I have been updating more individual finds pages below and sorting them in to individual type groupings within their page.

	Pilgrim and religious items		Clothing fasteners
	Club record page - oldest, biggest, rarest etc		George IV milled gold and silver coins
	Coin and apothecary weights		S buckles all periods
	William IV milled silver coins		Foreign hammered gold and silver coins

3rd Jan 2021 - New exporting and disclaimed hoard - New FLO and new land

One of our farmers has just sold some of his land we were searching and rang me last week and offered me two new sites to replace it . One is in Ardleigh and one in Colchester centre. He is going to e-mail me the maps and I will post them on the closed members forum shortly.

There has been no new hunts since the out break of COVID restrictions in Sept. We are waiting to see what is going to happen in March as a lot of Barn groups have booked and intend to come if restrictions are lifted.

I have been processing export license applications and there are now new forms to use since we have left the EU. I have received the new instructions from export duty below with a link to the new form. I have sent off a first trial application today to see if I filled it all in correctly.

I have uploaded more finds to the bottom of the Sept COVID page.

We are no longer issuing EU licences now we are not part of the EU. Please reapply on the new UK application form here –

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/export-controls/export-licensing#section-2

As you will see, it is now in two parts. This is to be used from now on for all applications regardless of the destination.

I had a meeting with the local museum to pick up disclaimed treasures in Nov with a view to a few more being available around Christmas. The Saxon sceat hoard we found has been disclaimed by the museum and I expected to pick some of those up also.

Saxon sceat hoard page

However I got a mail from our local FLO in December and she is leaving her post on the 6th January so I am not certain how soon she will be replaced.

I have updated the individual pages below with latest COVID hunt finds:

	Foreign gold and milled silver coins		Saxon silver sceat hoard page
	Saxon gold and silver coin		William and Mary gold and milled silver coins
	Numbered military buttons		Scottish and Irish hammered silver coins

20th Oct 2020 - Only a single 10 day hunt - COVID cancelled the rest

PORTUGAL, 1/2 Escudo, 800 Reis, 1725, Lisbon, KM #218.3, , Gold, 1.78 love token

'Saxon' boys - From left to right Andreas, Wolfgang, Max and Thomas

We only managed to run just one 10 day hunt this season so far before the COVID restrictions killed off all the other teams coming. The German 'Saxon' boys did not have to isolate as there were no restrictions between our two countries. Luckily they still came as they manage to find another 5 Saxon silver sceats from our previous hoard area so we nicknamed them the 'Saxon Boys'. I have uploaded all the other great finds from that hunt to a new finds page. I still have a few more finds to upload to that new page yet.New COVID Sept finds page

I have the first meeting with the museum since COVID this week where I can finally drop off all treasures and hoards. I expect to pick up a load disclaimed items to be returned to the guy. I will post list on the members form in due course.

1.30g,11.85mm

Our first Saxon Denier not sceat - just sent further detail to the EMC for recording and ID

This seems to be a Merovingian denier. Further information would be very welcome.

Thanks,

Martin

 EMC 2020.0330.

C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 14 - reported as hoard to museum 1.14g,11.63mm W	C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 15 - reported as hoard to museum 1.34g,13.18mm A
C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 16 - reported as hoard to museum 1.04g, 12.66mm A	C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 17 - reported as hoard to museum 1.43g,13.14mm MG
C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 18 - reported as hoard to museum 11.03mm,1.29g TB	Teutonic Order (German states) 1351-1382 Silver Deanr - 1 Vierchen = 4 Pfennig (4) Obverse Gransmasters shield, legend surrounding. Lettering: MAGISTER GENERALIS Reverse Large cross. Legend surrounding. Lettering: DOMINORVM PRVSSIE
1689 William and Mary milled three pence	1216 Henry III hammered silver short cross penny- Class 6c1 Obv hENRICVS REX Rev + RAVLF ON LVND - Moneyer Ravlf of London mint
1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny- Class 5c Obv hENRICVS REX III Rev WILLEM ON LVND - Moneyer Willem of London mint	Half length figure of king facing holding orb and sceptre French weight for gold royal d'or of Charles VII 1422-61

4th Sept 2020 - COVID restrictions, awards and new video

The hunts should have started on the 1st Sept but a lot of guys have moved their dates until March to avoid travel restrictions. There will be very small numbers arriving on the 16th Sept for the first hunt unless COVID kills it off.

I have been busy and have completed all the 2020 exports using the new electronic online export forms and it is working really well. The free forum competition to guess the number of mounts found 2019/20 season was won by Mass Michael who gets a free weeks detecting holiday next season. This years comp to win a another free trip is to guess how many milled silver coins we can find.

Other awards:

Dutch Robbert was voted by the members to have had the best 'Pouch of the Year' with his quad gold and 6 medieval ham pouch.

Georgia Buddy's team won the 'Team of the Year award with their monster week including 3 Celtic gold full staters and a beauty Roman gold - they receive the gold engraved medallions and their names on clubs shield of honour..

Org Artie- Nova Scotia Greg award for 'dedicated detectorist' of the year (Silver cup)

Louisiana Ashley - Wayne Otto award for detectorist with the 'best attributes' (Silver cup)

Chicago Ron has just posted his huge latest video from the field for the 2018/19 season, link below. It is like being out there !!! Run time 1 hour and 26 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihpFvqaprlo

The clothing fastener has been completely revamped into each of its classes. Dress fasteners

11th July 2020 Updates, exports & FOTY

Export duty is still currently closed but there is now an on line electronic application method which is working great. Click on the link below to download forms

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/export-controls/export-licensing#section-1

Cal Dave below,won the popular membership vote by a landslide, to win this years 'Find of the Year'. Dave wins the free trip next year and the engraved silver urn. The two Roman gold coin finds this season both split the vote for 2nd place.

Cal Dave with his gold Torc find

1300 BC Bronze Age gold torc - reported as treasure to museum

I have updated more individual find pages below with finds form the 2nd half of the season.

	Lead bale seal		Cloth seals
	Roman gold coins		Foreign milled gold, silver and copper coins
	Cutlery		Bells and whistles
	Livery button		Romano/British artefacts
	Fire, Police, Railways and local govt buttons		Saxon gold and silver coins

4th June 2020 Updates and exports

I have been busy preparing more export license applications for guys pouches from the 2nd half of the season and posting them on the members forum. Unfortunatly export license duty are still closed so I will send them off once the department returns. Meanwhile I have been updating all the individual pages below with finds from the 2nd half of the season.

I have also been updating the current forum competition page and have launched the new competition to guess the milled silver count for 2020/21 season.

Members are currently voting for their 'find of the year' and the winner of the event wins a free weeks holiday next season and the engrave silver urn.

Org Artie has won the Nova Scotia Greg award for 'dedicated detectorist' of the year .Artie been coming here many years now and is one of our eldest senior members but that never stops him out there. Mindy the Barn leader can never get him off the field no matter what the weather and he is the last man standing after she drags him off the field. Great example of a dedicated hunter.

	Gold jewelry all		18th/19thC tokens
	Henry VI gold and silver hammered coins		AD Roman silver coins
	Numbered regiment buttons		Victoria milled gold and big silver coins
	Edward III hammered gold and big silver coins		Coin weights
	Trade weights		William IV milled silver coins
	Foreign gold and hammered silver coins		Foreign gold and milled silver coins
	Commonwealth hammered silver coins		Toy cannons
	Clog fasteners		Lead tokens
	George III milled gold and silver coins		James 1st hammered gold and silver coins
	Charles 1st hammered silver coins		Bronze axe heads
	BC Roman silver coins		Scottish hammered silver coin page
	Celtic gold page updated		William and Mary and William III milled gold and silver coins

15th May 2018 Dutch Robbert finally left after 4 gold finds

1894 Victoria milled gold sovereign

22mm,7.95g

Gold ring - 20mm,1.45g

Makers mark SC

Gold ring

1.46g,14mm

Dutch Robbert was isolated on his own in one of our huge self catering Barns as his first flight back to Aruba was not until the 4th July. He was lucky to have had a close site of ours, he could just wander to, and do a few hours of exercise daily and manage to add three more gold finds on his extended trip ending with 2 gold rings, a hammered gold coin and a crisp milled gold coin.

He also found 6 full medieval groats and other hammered silvers I have posted at the bottom of the latest finds page. 2020 March finds page

One of my favourite finds he made was the Georgian Madonna of Pompei silver framed enameled pendant below.

I am currently working my way through the guys pouches and preparing the paperwork for their export licenses. I am unable to send the forms to export duty yet as they are closed due to the CIVID crisis.

1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC x DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM	1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC x DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM
1422- 27 Henry VI hammered silver groat - Annulet issue - IM pierced cross Annulets by neck, Annulets in opposing quadrants in reverse Obv +hENRIC x DI GRA x REX x ANGL xZx FRANC' Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx - Calais Mint Rev outer - POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM	1351- 1361 Edward III hammered silver groat (4 pence ) - Cross 3 Pre treaty period annulet stops Obv EDWAR **** ANGL o Z o FRANC o D o hYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint
1351- 1361 Edward III hammered silver groat (4 pence ) - Cross 3 Pre treaty period annulet stops Obv EDWAR **** ***** C o D o hY o B Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint	1327 Edward III hammered silver groat (4 pence ) -annulet stops Obv ***** D G **** Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Georgian Madonna of Pompei silver framed enameled pendant


'Madonna di Pompei'

2nd April 2018 Dutch Robbert is on fire out there on his own

1344-51 Edward III hammered gold qtr nobel - Standard C type

Obv +EDWAR D G R EX ANGL Z *** hYB - E at centre on obverse -satire stops

Rev: + EXALTABITUR IN GLORIA I

Obv shield quartered with the arms of England and France within a tressure of six arches (early coin)

2.04g,20mm

Robbert's pictures of his finds

New 2020 March finds page created to speed up load times.

Chicago Ron's team canceled the last week of their hunt to get back to the USA but Dutch Robbert, who now lives in Aruba, could not get a flight home until May. He had no choice but to stay on completely self isolated in a huge Barn we rent in a remote area. However around the barn is a large 10 field site we rarely hunt so for his daily exercise he just wanders out the front door on his own. He had already found the beauty Edward III hammered gold coin above before the guys left but since then he has found some great finds including 4 medieval hammered silver groats and a beauty Georgian silver and enameled pendant above. He also popped two more gold jewelry pieces, yellow gold finger ring and another gold ring that looking like a necklace link.. He has been sending me photo's by e-mail of his finds as I am self isolating and cannot go and pick up the finds to take proper pictures. This could be the longest running hunt in the clubs history if his first available flight home is the 4th May.

Note: Export duty is closed due to the virus.

I uploaded a load more new finds the 2020 March finds page

I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page.

1772 Georgian coin weight - 10 shillings and six pence - half gold guinea

1308-12 Henry VII King of the Romans - Henry of Luxembourg

Obv +:hENRICV eagle S:DEI:GRA

Rev ROM/ANO/RVM REX eagle

From the end of the 12th century, the English penny, known for it's good silver, became a standard in north-west Europe. Merchants in the Low Countries (especially Flanders, Brabant, Hainaut) went to England to buy the high quality wool and paid with English pennies.
To get them they exchanged silver bars and/or light weighted coins in English coin work shops. To avoid exchange rates and increase profits, they soon started minting their own copies. In the same alloy and weight but also in baser material to earn more money. As the majority of the medieval population could not read, it was no problem if the legends were not correct or with the name of the local count and mint. If it looks correct, it must be correct!

1299- 1300 Edward 1st hammered silver penny - Class 9a2, open E & C - Star on breast, Unbarred N

Obv + EDWAR ANGL DNS hYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1603 James 1st hammered silver sixpence -Thistle mint mark	1351 1361 Edward III hammered silver groat - Fourth coinage Pre Treaty period Obv + EDWARD DG o ANGL o Z o FRANC D h: Y : B : Closed letter E type 2 9 tressures Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint
1603 James 1st hammered silver penny	Rose each side with legend and no inner circles. 1625 Charles 1st hammered silver penny

17th March 2020 More Celtic gold and great silvers - Covid ends the hunts

Since the outbreak of the virus I have been keeping a very safe distance from the guys and only processing finds at the end of each week. Lots of guys have cancelled their trips due to flight restrictions so the season will end early this year. I have loads of great finds to photograph and post yet that were found over the last couple of weeks.

The guys have been searching some of our huge new land with very mixed results. Lidar maps of the area showed at least half a dozen burial mounds scattered over the site. The area around the triple burial mound impressions above has only produced a couple of Roman 'grots' so far, it is a monster sized field and will take years to hotspot properly. However some of the other fields near very early houses have given up some really big hammered silver from medieval to Charles 1st and a beautiful silver ring inscribed 'JH 1521' in keeping with the house date of Henry VIII. Missouri Guy also found a very rare find for Essex, the earliest Bronze Age 2000 BC flat axe. It has twice the blade width of other example we have found over the years. Guy also found our first ever Scottish full medieval groat, all other coins have been pennies or half pennies. Check our Scottish hammered silver finds page

Wiss Steve then popped the sweet 70 BC Morini Celtic gold qtr below, his 2nd target on the field !!

I uploaded a load more new finds the 2020 Feb finds page.

I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page.

2000 BC Early Bronze Age flat axe

Interesting silver ring with what looks like a rock crystal - 3.66g, 31mm long

Inscribed 'JH 1521

The ring is inscribed from Henry VIII period - reported as treasure to museum.

70BC Morini Celtic gold qtr stater - sent to museum for recording

11mm,1.48g

First ever Scottish groat we have found

1329-71 David II hammered silver groat

Obv DAVID DEI GRA REX SCOTORUM

Rev VILL/AED/INBV/RGH- Edinburgh mint

1820 George IV milled silver half crown (30 pence)

600AD Saxon silver sceat - sent to EMC for ID and recording

1.13g, 11mm

Many thanks for this Series E, Primary variety G3, which I have recorded as EMC 2020.0116.
Best regards,
Martin

First ever Romano/British double looped bronze protected terret I have seen ?

1351 Edward III hammered silver half groat Pre Treaty series No lis above crown - 9 tressures - Lis on cusps - C and E closed- Annulet stops - N reversed +EDWARDVS REX ANGL: Z FRANC Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint mark	1471-83 Edward VII hammered silver groat - Cross and 4 pellets initial mark - Trefoils in all cusps- Gb crown Groat of type XVI Obv +EDWARD'DEI GRA **** Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint mark
1351-2 Edward III hammered silver groat - Cross 1 - 9 arches to tressure Obv +EDWARD Do Go REX ANGL z FRANC D o hYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint mark	1592-5 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver shilling - Tun mint mark

1904 Birmingham mint - Rose gold brooch

Crusty 50 BC Roman silver with unusual obverse - sent for ID

29th Feb 2020 Roman gold found - Oki Jim's vervel acquired

Ga Buddy's Barn team head home after having a brilliant week searching and finding 7 more gold items. I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page. I have a few days break and the next team comes in on the 4th March, just time to catch up on photographing and uploading more finds.

I uploaded a load more new finds including Roman silver to the 2020 Feb finds page.

Mo Mike found only our 2nd ever 5th Roman gold coin below, stunning condition, Mike then went onto find a nice plain gold finger. I have added it to our Roman gold coin page. German Russ popped a spectacular 1899 dated 18 carat gold cuff links with both faces having different monograms, perhaps a wedding reminder. Other great finds include a 1stC BC dagger quillion and little and large of George III milled silvers.

OKi Jim's silver medieval hawking ring has been acquired by the museum as it was Treasure and there is an article in the Archaeology mag featuring it.

Updated our hunt availabilty page and added 2021 places still open.

5thC Roman gold ID'd by Mark Lehman - reported to museum

Very cool! I’m always impressed by the gold you folks find – it looks like it won’t be too terribly hard a job to straighten it out.
Anastasius, 491-518 AD.
AV solidus (your metrology here)
Mint of Constantinople
Obv: D N ANASTA-SIVS PP AVG
helmeted and cuirassed bust of Anastasius three-quarter face to right, holding spear and shield
Rx: VICTORI-A AVGGG (I?) <– officina designation character
Victory standing left holding voided cross; to right, star // CONOB
SBCV 2; DOC 3-5

It’s easy (to the extent that it is easy) because gold doesn’t get encrusted or corroded. However, I get to work on so little gold that it’s hardly like the “in my sleep” identification of things like common LRB’s. But you’re right, not too much of a challenge. I wish I could tell you it was a rare type, but this is among the most common (and is the earliest) “Byzantine” solidus. This general type, however, the facing armored bust and Victory holding voided cross solidi, goes back well into the late Roman tradition, beginning probably at least a century prior to Anastasius “hybrid” reign (he’s considered both the final “Roman” emperor and the first Byzantine emperor in the numismatic community as it was he who introduced the typical Byzantine large Æ coinage with M, K, I, E etc, marks of value on the reverses in ca 498 and so has both Roman-style and Byzantine-style Æ coinages.
Mark

4.51g, 19.5mm

1776 George III milled silver penny

1817 George III milled silver half crown (30 pence)

13.41g,32mm

1st BC Iron Age bronze dagger quillion with iron tang remaining.

1623 silver hawking ring

11mm,1.28g

Thomas Playters.Eq

The Playters Baronetcy, of Sotterley in the County of Suffolk, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 13 August 1623 for Thomas Playters and was one of the last baronetcies created by King James I.[1] The second Baronet was Vice-Admiral of Suffolk between 1640 and 1649.[2] The fifth Baronet served as High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1728. The title became extinct on the death of the eighth Baronet in 1832

A seventeenth-century silver hawking ring called a vervel has been uncovered in a field near the town of Harwich, on the southeast coast of England. An inscription on the vervel links the artifact to a man named Thomas Playters, a member of the gentry who bore the title Baronet of Sotterley. The ring would have been placed on a hunting raptor’s leg, to attach the bird to a perch via a line. “Vervels are very helpful items when it comes to tracing individuals through history, especially when they are inscribed,” says Sophie Flynn, finds liaison officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme at Colchester and Ipswich Museums. She notes that while most vervels discovered in Britain are made of silver, those crafted from copper and bronze do turn up as well. Finding more examples made from cheaper materials may help determine to what extent hawking was—or was not—the exclusive preserve of the upper classes.

Stunning 18 carat gold mongrammed cuff links - Dated June 1899

25th Feb 2020 Slim pickings, then treble Celtic gold and new Roman silver hoard

45 BC Addedomarus Celtic gold full stater - reported as hoard addendum coin to museum

5.54g,17mm

10- 40 AD Cunobelin Celtic gold qtr stater -reported as hoard addendum coin to museum

1.35g,11mm

45 BC Addedomarus Celtic gold full stater - reported as hoard addendum coin to museum

5.44g, 17mm

Ohio Seth (right) popped two Celtic gold's- Buddy handed Mo Brandon (right) the Spinks coin book prize for finding first gold of 2020

Guys made a very slow start to the 2nd half of the season trying to hotspot the new land. Just one of the fields on the new 20 field farm is so big it takes to lunchtime just to get to one end of it. Lots of buttons and greenies, tons of lead and only 4 hammered silver coins so far. It will take us years to hot spot this sucker. Back on older land one of the guys found three Roman silver coins close together in weathered down rough plough and called the rest of the team over and they added another 7. I have reported it to the museum as a new hoard and sent them off to Mark Lehman our Roman expert for his views. Unfortunately you cannot clean any hoard coins as they have to go into the museum as dug. Then two newbie members on their first ever trip were hunting a previous Celtic gold hoard spot the members found and they banged in 3 Celtic gold coins, two full Adde Staters and a beauty Cunobelin qtr stater. I have reported these three to the museum as addendum to previous hoard. That must be close to 30 mixed tribe Celtic gold coins so far in this hoard. All of the previous coins were disclaimed by the museum after going through the treasure process and returned to the guys.

I had a meeting with the museum this week to drop off more treasures and Celtic golds and I also got back half a dozen disclaimed items including more Celtic gold from this hoard. I have posted a full list on the members forum and will now apply for export licenses

I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page

I have created a new 2020 Feb finds page and started to upload other widgets found so far. Couple of real rare silver coins found so far with only the 2nd William and Mary 4 pence I have ever seen and a tiny Indian silver Fanam.

Big thanks to Viktor below for sending an updated ID of two very neat old finds we made. I have moved them to our Military badges page.

If any readers of this site have more accuate ID's of any finds we have made then drop me a mail please.

Hello,
I am metal detectorist from Czech Republic. I am also a big fan of your web sites and noticed that you have wrong inclusion of your artifact. In the middle of this page http://www.colchestertreasurehunting...essmounts.htm# you have harness with two tale lion"19th century harness decoration" but this is completely wrong. Is it a kind of cap badge from czechoslovakian army from period of the first republic (1918-1938) also used by czechoslovakian troops in foreign during WW2 https://panenske-brezany.muzeumbrand...jenska-vystroj .

Yours faithfully


Viktor Vrkoč

Roman silver hoard coin 1 - reported to museum and sent for ID Hadrian, 117-138 AD. AR denarius, Mint of Rome, 123 AD. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG laureate head of Hadrian right (possibly drapery on left shoulder) Rx: LIB PVB (in exergue) P M TR P COS III Libertas seated left holding branch and scepter RIC II 127; RSC 903; SRCV 3502 Mark	Roman silver hoard coin 2- reported to museum and sent for ID Probably Trajan, 98-117 AD. AR denarius, Mint of Rome Rx: P M TR P […] Seated female, left (could be Vesta?) Sorry I can’t get you any closer to a cataloged ID here – if you get a chance to see it after some cleaning, send me a photo and I’ll see what else I can add.
Roman silver hoard coin 5 - reported to museum and sent for ID I suspect this is Hadrian too, (117-138 AD.) and possibly a “LIB PVB” AR denarius like #4 above (on the basis of what appears to be a horizontally aligned “B” in the left reverse field), but there simply are not enough clear features to say any more at this point. Again, if you can get photos of it in a cleaner state, I can probably be more specific. Mark	Roman silver hoard coin 4 - reported to museum and sent for ID Hadrian, 117-138 AD. AR denarius, Mint of Rome, 125 AD. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG laureate head of Hadrian right (possibly drapery on left shoulder) Rx: LIB-PVB (across field) P M TR P COS III Libertas standing facing, head left, holding pileus and rod RIC II 128; RSC 907a; SRCV 3503   Mark
Roman silver hoard coin 7 - reported to museum and sent for ID Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD. AR denarius, Mint of Rome, (ca 142 AD.?) Obv: legend ends: [… AN]TONINVS laureate head of Antoninus Pius right Rx: PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM winged thunderbolt (vertical). the reverse type and the apparent obverse legend don’t “agree” – could be a mule of two different types? It’s 100% certain to be Antoninus Pius and I’m 99% sure it’s PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM winged thunderbolt Rx: Cf. RIC III 80a, RSC 681; SRCV 4103	Roman silver hoard coin 6 - reported to museum and sent for ID I’m pretty sure this is Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD.) another AR denarius. It’s also possible that it could be Marcus Aurelius as Caesar (concurrent with Ant. Pius, Aug) This is another which really needs more cleaning/conservation to say much more than this.
Roman silver hoard coin 8 - reported to museum and sent for ID # 8 is from half a century or more prior to the other pieces in the “hoard” so far – which all seem to be of the adoptives and Antonines. #8 – Titus, 79-81 AD. AR "Supplicatio" Denarius* (your metrology here) Mint of Rome, 80 AD. Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M (ccw) Laureate bust of Titus right Rx: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P Tripod-ALTAR surmounted by dolphin to right RIC II, i 128 (Old RIC II 27a); RSC 321; SR 2518 *After the Vesuvius disaster in 79 and the great fire which soon followed in Rome in 80, coins of Titus and Domitian for a couple of years adopted reverses referring to Neptune (who also ruled earthquakes, and, I guess, volcanos) and the sea, in supplication to Neptune, begging, presumably, for less interesting times.	Roman silver hoard coin 9 - reported to museum and sent for ID # 9 Almost certainly a Flavian, most probably Vespasian or Titus – ccw legend on obverse, “[…]PASIAN[…]” 10:00-8:00 obverse I took a long look for something which might match the linear, blunt, semi-pointed object on the reverse. My best guess is that it would be the base of a trophy or a standard (vexillum), or maybe the bottom of a winged caduceus, but the [CO]S III (or maybe [CEN]S III ?) seems to be in the wrong location if it’s pointing down as would as the base of a trophy, etc. It might also be the leg of a short altar, but then there should be two of them parallel and the reverse is not obviously off-center enough for a 2nd leg to exist. So this one’s got me stumped for the moment – if we get a photo post-cleaning/conservation it’s a lot more likely to be ID-able. Mark
Roman silver hoard coin 9 - reported to museum and sent for ID	1690 William and Mary milled silver four pence

1636-8 Charles 1st hammered silver shilling (12 pence)- Tun mint mark

5th Feb 2020 Huge plot of new land - rare disclaimed tribe

I just signed the contract with a new landowner last week for us to search his 800 acre plot as from Feb. His land has known historical land marks on it like a Tumulus and the senior members are researching other fields for any evidence of ancient occupation. Check out the holiday availability page on our accommodation site if you want to join the kick off in Feb 2020.

A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or kurgans, and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built for various purposes, may also originally have been a tumulus.

More export application licenses have been approved and the name list posted on the members forum.

More neat finds missed during the first half of the season have been posted to the bottom of the 2019 Oct latest find page.

Latest forum competition total. Forum comp page

Ch Ron has had his very rare hoard addendum coin disclaimed from 2017 and the curator report from the British museum below indicates it is from the Durotriges tribe, the first ever found here. Not surprising really as they are a long way from Colchester. I have just applied for an export license so Ron can take it home.

An Iron Age uninscribed gold quarter stater of Sills’ insular Af2 type, dating to the period 80-60 BC.

PAS reference: ESS-FE6D45.
Finder: Ron Guinazzo.
Date of Discovery: October 2nd 2017.
Circumstances of discovery: Found whilst searching with a metal detector
Date: Iron Age
Description:  An Iron Age uninscribed gold quarter stater of Sills’ insular Af2 type, dating to the period 80-60 BC. Coins of this type are derived from the Gallo-Belgic DC quarter stater but produced locally in South-Western Britain in the coinage area traditionally associated with the Durotriges. The British type seems to have a higher silver content and lower gold content than the Gallo-Belgic types.
Obverse: Boar, left.
Reverse: Abstract geometric design with one stippled quadrant.
The coin is damaged on one side.
Dimensions: Weight: 0.9g. Diameter: 11.8mm. 
Discussion: Unlike the Gallo-Belgic quarter staters previously associated with this findspot this is a coin from South Western Britain, recorded examples of which have a distribution in Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and West Sussex. However if the findspot in the same field as the earlier discoveries is genuine it is plausibly part of the same deposit.
Conclusion: In terms of age, its status as a hoard addendum, and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal, it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.
Report by: Violet Starr 25/06/2018, Checked by Sophie Flynn, Essex FLO
Amended by E. Ghey 01/01/19

More updates from the first half of the season on the individual find pages below.

	Dress buttons- all periods
	Police, Govt, Railway,Club etc buttons

	Henry VIII		Henry V
	Henry IV		Henry VII
	Henry VI

27th Jan 2020 Ron's rare Saxon video - more updates

Ch Ron has just posted the video of when he found his one of a kind 757-796 AD Offa Saxon silver penny Serpent type, amazing discovery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsA8pVim8JY

I am still busy processing the paperwork for the export pouches from the 1st half of the season and posting any missed finds to the bottom of the 2019 Oct latest find page. While I am sitting here at my PC typing up the finds list I have been watching the most amazing Russian WWII detecting videos. Machine guns, rifles, helmets, badges in water logged areas so the finds come out mint. Some are dubbed in English and other in Russian but so fascinating to watch and there are dozens of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufzfp2j-IVw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_3t_6DhWOA

I have just updated our hoard and treasure page with latest museum feedback. http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/H/hoardandtreasure.htm

I have been updating more of the sites individual pages below with finds from the 1st half of the season.

	James 1st hammered gold and silver coins		Medieval buckles
	Foreign milled silver and copper coins		Post medieval buckles page 1
	Scottish and Irish hammered silver coins		Post medieval buckles page 2
	Lead bale seals		Edward III small silver hammered coins - London mint
	Edward 1st hammered silver coins		Edward III small silver hammered coins - non London mints

10th Jan 2020 - Roman silver hoard video

Still beavering away processing the paperwork for the export pouches from the 1st half of the season and posting any missed finds to the bottom of the 2019 Oct latest find page. Check out the holiday availability page on our accommodation site if you want to join the kick off in Feb 2020.

Chicago Ron has put together a great video he took when we found 13 Roman silvers in day on a previous hoard spot. We also have an individual page detailing all the 53 Roman silver coins found so far.http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/Romansilverhoard2018.html

Roman hoard video

I have been updating more of the sites individual pages below with finds from the 1st half of the season.

	BC to modern gold jewelry		William IV milled silver coins
	Henry III hammered silver coins		Charles II milled silver coins
	William and Mary and William III milled silver coins		Venetian hammered silver coins

24th December 2019 - Exporting and a happy Christmas

Wishing all members of the club and readers of this site a very happy Christmas. The second half of the season starts late Feb so I have just 6 weeks left to compile all the export license applications for the first half, full find lists and pictures posted to the members forum. As I process each pouch I have been posting any missed finds to the bottom of the 2019 Oct latest find page.

The individual pages below have been updated with finds from the 1st half of the season.

	Victorian gold and large milled silver coins		Victorian small milled silver coins
	Elizabeth 1st hammered gold and large silver coin		Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpences
	Elizabeth 1st hammered silver smaller coins		Medallions and tokens
	Livery buttons		17thC token and farthings
	Trade weights		Coin weights
	Richard II hammered silver silver coins		Watch winders

2nd December 2019 - Exporting and updating

Great news last week that the thieving 'night hawking' detectorists got huge jail terms handed out for their multi million pound robbery .News story

This is my busy part of the year preparing export applications for the first half of the season and updating our individual page on the site with finds from the first half. I have posted full find lists and pictures on the members forum and each member gets a work document sent via e-mail of the application made. As I process each pouch I then post any missed finds to the bottom of the 2019 Oct latest find page.

I have also started to count this years forum competition results as I do each pouch. Forum comp page

I had a meeting last week to drop off all our reported treasures and hoards and picked up half a dozen disclaimed items to be returned to the guys after export application. Full list of names posted on members forum.

The individual pages below have been updated with finds from the 1st half of the season.

	Clog fasteners		Roman gold coins
	Toy cannons and petronels		Edward III gold and large silver hammered coins
	George III gold and silver coins		Saxon gold and silver coins
	Saxon harness fittings		Military badges
	Named Army regiment buttons		Numbered Army regiment buttons
	Keys		Charles 1st hammered coins
	Pipes and tampers		Jettons
	Bronze Age gold finds

4th Nov 2019 - Roman gold and new Offa Rex type penny found

One of a kind Offa Rex penny

757-796 AD Offa Saxon silver penny
Serpent type

1.12g, 15.5mm

Moneyer CIOLHARD - London or Canterbury mint


Ref North page 89 -317 - No coin exists with this Obverse



The reverse is Chick type 18 (North 317), known from twelve coins listed in Derek Chick's book The Coinage of Offa and his Contemporaries and two further coins in EMC. The obverse type is new. Many thanks. I have recorded this as EMC 2019.0309.

An important find.

Best regards, Martin

This is the members last day of searching before we break for the first half of the season. The guys return again in mid Feb to continue the hunt.
There has been too many great finds to list here so check out the latest finds page where all the other great silver and widgets is posted.2019 Oct latest find page.

A new 'dredged' pond site we have this season has produced loads more mint condition finds . Normally I would never take pictures of nails but the huge 14th nails come out of the silt looking brand new. There is a picture of a group below including an early leather shoe.

Chicago Ron has found one of our rarest ever coin finds with a unique one off Offa Rex Serpent type silver penny. Then Fl Rob popped our first ever Byzantine type Roman gold coin. Our Roman gold coin finds. This is Rob's first ever gold coin in ten years as a senior member so what a way to start your collection. Rob videoed the whole event at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He_bCQsVLRY

Miss Jeff did some brilliant gridding on our previous Saxon silver hoard area and added another two new C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat addendum coins to the 'pot'

I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page

Florida Rob

5thC Roman gold sent for ID- my quick guess below

Anastasius AV Solidus. 491-518 AD. 4.41 g. Constantinople. DN ANASTA-SIVS PP AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust three-quarter face to right, holding spear over right shoulder and shield on left arm / VICTORI-A AVGGG and officina letter, Victory standing left, holding long jewelled cross, star to right (rarely: a cross). Mintmark CONOB. Sear Byz. 3; DO 3-5; MIB 3-5.


Byzantine currency, money used in the Eastern Roman Empire after the fall of the West, consisted of mainly two types of coins: the gold solidus and a variety of clearly valued bronze coins. By the end of the empire the currency was issued only in silver stavrata and minor copper coins with no gold issue.

4.46g, 20.23mm

1762 George III milled gold quarter guinea

2.07g, 16mm

Medieval silver annular brooch - reported as treasure to museum

C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 12 - reported as hoard to museum 1.31g,11.79mm	C600 -775 Saxon silver sceat hoard coin 13 - reported as hoard to museum 1.42g,11.62mm

Unknown continental hammered silver coin - researching it

0.75g, 14.45mm

20 Reis coin of Alfonso VI of Portugal (1656-1667) - here's a picture of a similar one:

Cross side:
https://images.app.goo.gl/rDnD8Ya8iTh8vKJb9

Other side:
https://images.app.goo.gl/BRS5hrnkPVWzRgiz5

Can Drew

Unknown large silver widget with with red carved stone - no idea of it use yet ? Great ID by Cal Tony below

37mm long

This looks pretty close, from Rubylane.com, a vintage jewelry site. For sale $995

“A fabulous chunky Victorian Scottish agate and sterling silver bracelet dating from around 1860.

The polished faceted agate barrels are beautiful shades of deep carnelian orange with lighter and darker striped bands.

The bracelet secures with a heart padlock which is engraved with a silver scrolling design on one side and a polished shield-shaped agate on the other. The heart is held secure with its original safety chain.

Scottish jewellery was made popular by Queen Victoria from the mid 1800s, when she frequently visited Scotland and her Scottish castle Balmoral.

In excellent antique condition.

Size: Just over 7 inches inside circumference. Locket measures 20mm across x 32mm down. The safety chain is 3 inches long. Each silver-capped agate barrel is 2.5cm long.

Weight: 41g.”

Cal Tony

Three 14th century iron nails,

Other examples Unique ID: BERK-9C7065

Amazing pond silt finds - huge iron nails and tent peg ?

Interesting pond silt finds - Early leather shoe and wooden spike.

Early 14th nails come out of this silt looking like bronze

Date​: c1798-1809 ​

Loyal Greenwich button

Description: GR royal cypher around written 'HONORE ET ARMIS' with outer legend 'LOYAL GREENWICH' ​​ Category:​​ English Volunteer Infantry; ​

Type of button: Slightly convex, flat back 19mm ​;​

Metal: Copper Alloy, silver plated; Backmark​: None ;

​

Notes: The Loyal Greenwich Volunteer force was raised in 1798 and disbanded in c1809. The dates can be 1798-1801 and 1803-08/14 a four company unit under CO. Major Robert Campbell. Re-raised in July 1803, as a full battalion.

1684-87 James II milled tin farthing

Another amazing pasture land find - first ever James II tin coin find I have ever seen with copper plug still remaining

24th Oct 2019 - Amazing relics and more Celtic gold

16thC silver ring - reported as treasure to museum - Greek Cross like on Elizabeth 1st hammered silver coins

'ICET'

Another great week of searching by the guys with three more gold coins and a load of amazing relics like my favourite below, a complete set of nesting bullion weights. I was amazed when I finally managed to open it and see its stunning condition. There were a load more superb pond silt finds like the the first ever medieval arrow head I have ever seen. Chicago Ron was using just his probe to search the thick silt and found what looked like a bronze arrow head but because there is no rot it is actually iron. The team also managed to eyeball four mint unbroken pipe bowls, another very rare find for us. Ga Mike found, in the pastureland area, a mint medieval silver annular brooch which I have not posted yet, he also eyeballed a huge 17thC toy petronel below unbroken on ploughed land below. Min Mindy eyeballed her 4th 11,000 BC flint axe head, huge sucker !!

I have posted so many more great relics and silver to the latest finds page 2019 Oct latest find page.

I have updated this years gold page with all the new gold finds Gold page

1.99g, 1.93g,3.94g,7.86g 15.76g

Fantastic relic found - I managed to open the clasp on the pot and was staggered to find a full set of marked 1802 George III brass nesting cups

Maker is SG - Continental hinged lid type - Bullion weight

The 5 smaller bronze weights are open cups and contained in the largest weight which has a bronze lid.

It appears that the total weight of all 6 weights together is about 121gms - 1, 2, are marked inside two of the bigger weights

Two weights are hallmarked SG

Truly amazing relic out of pond silt - this is an iron medieval arrow head unaffected by rust

Fantastic huge 17thC toy petronel working match lock pistol

25 BC Clacton Cross type, ABC 2356, the companion quarter to British F, the Late Clacton stater, ABC 2332. In ABC it's illustrated as a 'three men in a boat' design but the obverse is probably a degraded boar ; at the moment there are around 30 known, mostly from Essex and Suffolk so it's a definite Trinovantian type.

Martin

Reported to museum and CCI

1.41g,13.88mm

Fl Brian's first Celtic gold

25BC Eastern uninscribed Celtic gold qtr stater of Dubnovellaunos

Reported to museum and CCI

1.32g,11.75mm

1820 George III milled gold half sovereign

3.94g,19.36mm

Huge 11,000 BC Stone Age axe

British Colonial:1822 West Indies George IV milled silver -1/16th dollar

Obverse

Coat of arms on ornate shield

Lettering: GEORGIVS IV D:G: BRITANNIARUM REX F:D:

Translation: George by the Gods grace king of Britain, defender of faith

Reverse

Crown over anchor

Lettering:
COLONIAR: BRITAN: MONET:
XVI XVI
1822

Translation: Colonial money of Britain

Roman silver hoard addendum coin reported to museum

Send for ID

Beauty Georgian fob seal matrix - sailing ship facing right

Georgian clay pipes found in pond silt

Georgian clay pipe found in pond silt

1560-1 Elizabeth 1st hammered gold half pound coin - (10 shillings, 120 pence) - Crown mint mark

28.8mm,5.11g

5.06g

Spink ref S2520

Fixed Elizabeth 1st hammered gold half pound coin

1638-9 Charles 1st hammered silver shilling - anchor mint mint

5.54g, 30.12mm

14th Oct 2019 - One of kind Offa Rex and lots more gold found

One of a kind Offa Rex penny 757-796 AD Offa Saxon silver penny
Serpent type 1.12g, 15.5mm

Moneyer CIOLHARD - London or Canterbury mint

Ref North page 89 -317

No coin exists with this Obverse


The reverse is Chick type 18 (North 317), known from twelve coins listed in Derek Chick's book The Coinage of Offa and his Contemporaries and two further coins in EMC. The obverse type is new.
Best,
Martin

Many thanks. I have recorded this as EMC 2019.0309.

An important find.

Best regards,

Martin

Chicago Ron has had another great trip so far with a very crisp early 70BC uninscribed 'Q' Gold - 'Remi 'Type Celtic gold qtr stater find and a new type of Offa Rex serpent type Saxon silver penny. The Early Medieval Corpus database is based in Cambridge and records all our Saxon coin finds on the National EMC database.

Georgia Buddy and Tenn Mark meanwhile popped another two beauty full Cunobelin Celtic gold staters, beautiful strikes. Cal Dave who found the Bronze Age gold Torc earlier in the week finished his hunt with a full George III gold sovereign. Ill Chuck then found a taco'd George III third gold guinea. Buddy who is doing another week started with his 2nd gold of his trip and crisp 1842 Victoria gold half sovereign below..

I have updated this years gold page with another couple of bits of gold found , a gold tooth and a watch winder. Gold page

I have uploaded a load more finds to the latest finds page 2019 Oct latest find page.

10-40 AB Cunobelin Celtic gold stater - sent to museum and CCI for recording

18.25g,5.42g

10-40 AB Cunobelin Celtic gold stater - sent to museum and CCI for recording

17.33,5.41g

Early 70BC uninscribed 'Q' Gold - 'Remi 'Type Celtic gold qtr stater

Possible Maldon wheel - reported to museum and CCI

1.33g,11.61mm

1817 George III milled gold full sovereign

8.02g,22.17mm

1806 George III milled gold third guinea

2.58g,17,8mm

1842 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

3.99g,19.30mm

Mint 1498-9 Henry VII hammered silver half groat - Tun mint mark - double arched crown

Obv HENRIC ***ANGLI Z FR

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

8th Oct 2019 - Monster 1300 BC gold Torc and more Celtic gold

Cal Dave with his gold Torc find

1300 BC Bronze Age gold torc - reported as treasure to museum

Another amazing week of detecting sees more great gold coins found and an amazing 1300 BC Bronze Age gold torc discovery. It is unclear whether it is a neck torc or huge waist torc pictured above. The guys are searching hard for the rest of it. There is a recent story in the newspaper of the same type of torc currently on loan to Colchester museum.

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019...nd-in-norfolk/

I have uploaded a load more great relics and silver to a new 2019 Oct latest find page.

One of my favourite coins found so far is the first ever tin coin I have seen below with any detail. Ch Ron found a tiny fragment of a Saxon silver penny that turns out to be a mega rare example as ID'd by the Early Medieval Corpus expert Martin Allen.

Mint condition 1500-1550 'Normal orb' German jetton with crown initial mark

Anonymous issue

Pond silt find

I have posted more great pond silt finds to the latest find page including a mint German jetton above.

The very First time in my 16 years of running this club Cal Mark has found the only Tin coin in remarkable condition I have ever seen.

He dug the William Mary farthing and also the half penny in pasture land where no oxygen had got to it. You can clearly see the copper plug in the middle of the coin.

William & Mary (1688-94), Tin Farthing, 1690, copper plug at centre, second conjoined laureate and draped busts right, rev Britannia seated on globe with spear, shield and spray of leaves,…

10-40 AB Cunobelin Celtic gold stater - sent to museum and CCI for recording

17mm,5.38g

1859 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

3.97g, 19.3mm

Saxon hammered silver penny fragment - sent for ID

King Offa - 780 - 792 King of Mercia hammered silver

This is a coin of the Canterbury moneyer Ethelnoth in Offa's light coinage. Derek Chick's book The Coinage of Offa and his Contemporaries records three coins of this type (Chick type 232, Nirth 321), and this is the first new find of the type in EMC since the book was published.

EMC 2019.0291

1696 William III milled silver half crown (30 pence)

28th Sept 2019 - Rare Roman silver and Celtic golds

Well another week of searching comes to an end with double Celtic gold finds, a mint 1500 BC axe head, rare Roman silvers and Saxon sceat. Some amazing artefacts have turned up including some staggeringly good condition pond silt finds. I have posted a load of them on the latest finds page including a medieval looking gold ring with black sapphire.

Sept 2019 finds page

A palstave is a development of the flat axe, where the shaped sides are cast rather than hammered

Bronze Age (c.1500-1400BC) cast copper alloy primary shield pattern palstave, dating to the Acton Park Phase.

'Find of the year' winner Tim holds another Celtic gold find

10 AD AD Cunobelin Celtic gold qtr stater - reported to museum and CCI for recording

plastic A' series, VA 2010-3. Believed to have preceded the classic type, so perhaps from c. 25 - 35 AD.

1.33g,10.50mm

70BC Remi Celtic gold qtr stater - reported to museum and CCI for recording

1.13g,10.00mm

Great week with the first Celtic golds of the season found.

Primary Saxon silver sceat 600- 700 AD

Sent to Fitzswilliam museum for recording

1.07g,11mm

An interesting example of the Series E Vernus type Group 1, which I have recorded as EMC 2019.0262.

Thanks,

Martin

1351- 1352 Edward III hammered silver groat (4 pence ) Series G Cross 1 - annulet stops, Pre treaty period

top arches fleured - annulet stops - C open closed E

Obv EDWARD D G REX ANGL Z oFRANC oD oHYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON London mint

Rev outer + POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM (outer)

Roman silver coin sent for ID

You’re probably already aware the denarius is Trajan – or even if you aren’t, it is.
The reverse is so profoundly corroded I am wondering whether it might be a silver foil-wrapped fourrèe with core corrosion bleeding through the foil.
I believe the type is ARAB ADQ[VIS] an issue celebrating one of Trajan’s victories in the East
The concentric reverse legend is SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI and beneath the device there is another word or abbreviation. If I were more sure what I was seeing as the device, I’d be a lot more certain what the exergual line reads. I believe I see a small camel peeking out from behind a standing figure which would make it ARAB ADQ in the exergue.
If it is what I think it is – and what I can read of the obverse legend fits with the legend this type should bear, I’d describe it (or, if it’s a fourrèe, the prototype on which it was based) like this:
Trajan, 98-117 AD, AR denarius, Mint of Rome 113 AD.
Obv: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P  laureate head of Trajan right, (drapery on left shoulder?)

Rx: ARAB ADQ (in exergue) SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI Arabia standing facing, head left, holding branch and bundle of canes, camel at her feet to left.
RIC II 244 or 245; RSC 26 

Your photo of the reverse was upside-down, I flipped it for you

Romans silver coin with good detail sent for ID

This appears to be Vitellius – the 4th entry in the “Year of five emperors”, A.D. 69.  You must realize it’s impossible to be certain at this point, as illegible as the reverse is – but this reverse is the type most commonly paired with a very scarce left-facing bust on his denarii – all but three types of his denarii are right-facing.  All his coins are pretty scarce, bordering on rarity, since he was only around for a brief time in A.D. 69. Depending on how this cleans up (if it is to be cleaned), it could be quite a bit more “valuable” than the majority of the denarii you find – like, probably, an order of magnitude more, depending on what it winds up looking like.

(Probably) Vitellius, 69 A.D. AR denarius, Mint of Tarraco, Hispania, May-July A.D. 69
Obv: A VITELLIUS IMP GERMAN laureate head of Vitellius left
Rx: VICTORIA AVGVSTI Victory flying left, alighting, holding shield inscribed SP / QR in two lines.
RIC I 36; RSC 101; SRCV 2191
In better shape, it might look a lot like this:

Mark Lehman

15th Sept 2019 - 5 gold last week

A great 2nd week of searching by the guys with 5 pieces of gold found. Can Tony (left) got two gold sovereigns and Can Ed right got a beauty George III milled gold 1/3 guinea. There were some really nice hammered silver coins found including a mint Elizabeth 1st shilling below and I have posted a load more and relics to the latest finds page.

Sept 2019 finds page

Stunning 1560-1561 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver shilling (12 pence) - Cross Cross-let mint mark - 2nd issue

6.0g,33.2mm

1810 George III milled gold third guinea

2.82g,17.02mm

1899 Victoria milled gold half sovereign -- Old bust George and Dragon type

3.99g, 19.30mm

Beauty large decorated bronze 17thC Key handle

1895 Victoria milled gold half sovereign - Old bust George and Dragon type

1356-61 Edward III hammered silver groat - Fourth coinage: Pr Treaty -Series G - Std F type

Extra annul et in one qt of reverse

Top arches not floured - E&C closed, pot hook N

Mint mark Cross 1 - annul et stops, lees on breast

ob +EDWARD Do Go Rex ANGL Z FRANC D HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Rev outer + POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM (outer)

Ancient bright yellow gold band - very interesting concave inner to the ring and the pointed end - reported to museum as treasure

It came from the field where we also found a 1300 BC Bronze Age tress gold ring treasure

2.94g,28mmL

9th Sept 2019 - Great start to the season with Roman silvers

Early Medieval harness pendant with rampant lions and cross banding design in blue and white enamel work

This appears to be the arms of the Earl of Hereford 14thC

Humphrey De Bohun
(1312-1360)
Earl of Hereford
Earl of Essex
Earl of Northampton
Born 25th March 1342
Died 16th January 1373, probably at Pleshey, Essex

1643-4 Charles 1st hammered silver half crown (30 pence) - mint mark P in brackets - Tower mint under Parliament

14.55g,33mm, 2.20mm thick

Fl Paul has won a free week detecting trip next season for the 'Free Forum Comp' where he guessed exactly the right number found . Tx Ali won 'pouch of the year' as voted for by the membership. His monster pouch was found on the very last hunt of last season.

The new team kicked off the season and are doing really well so far with their 7th Roman silver find of the week. One is a crusty BC one that needs 'cooking' to remove the crust and 6 are hoard addendum coins in beautiful shape. Mark Lehman has ID'd them all and there are emperors that I have never heard of. I am taking them into the museum next week as the local FLO is taking them with her to the British Museum to add them to the 'pot'. So far we have found almost 53 totally different type of Roman silver from this hoard and I have added these ones to the page on our site dedicated to this hoard. http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/Romansilverhoard2018.html. Lots of great pictures of the guys digging them on this page.

I have started a new 2019 Sept finds page and have started uploading more silver and widgets to this page, so far just one tiny ring of gold has been found.

Sept 2019 finds page

Finds of the week for me so far are the monster rare Charles 1st half crown (30 pence), only the 2nd one we have ever found, and the amazing Humphrey De Bohun
(1312-1360) enameled heraldic shield mount.

Roman silver hoard coin -Septimius Severus, 198-209 AD.

2.87g,18mm

Hoard coin addendum number 48 - reported to museum

Septimius Severus, AR denarius, Mint of Rome, A.D. 201

Obv. SEVERVS PIVS AVG laureate head of Septimius Severus right                             
Rx: PART MAX TR P VIIII two bound captives seated back-to-back at foot of trophy between them
RIC IV 153; RSC 370a.

Roman silver hoard coin 49 - reported to museum as hoard 3.07g, 19.24mm Geta, Caesar, A.D. 198-209, Mint of Rome, A.D. 206 Obv: P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES bare-headed, draped bust of Geta right, seen from behind Rx: PROVID DEORVM Providentia standing left holding rod and scepter, globe at feet. RIC IV 51; RSC 170

Roman silver hoard coin 50 - reported to museum as hoard 3.10, 18.35mm VESPASIAN, A.D. 69-79, AR denarius, Mint of Rome, A.D. 70 Obv:  IMP VESPASIANVS AVG laureate head of Vespasian right Rx: COS ITER FORD RED Fortuna standing left holding prow and cornucopiae (Old RIC II 4) RIC II 19; RSC 84

Roman silver hoard coin 51 - reported to museum as hoard 2.62g,20.32mm Geta, Caesar, A.D. 198-209, Mint of Rome, A.D. 208 Obv: P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES bare-headed, draped bust of Geta right, seen from behind Rx: PONTIF COS II Geta, togate, standing left holding globe and rod RIC IV 61b; RSC 117

Roman silver hoard coin 52 & 53 - two coins stuck together- reported to museum as hoard 7.16g, 17.9mm Commodus, 177-192 A.D. AR denarius, Mint of Rome Obv: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT laureate head of Commodus right Plautilla (wife of Caracalla, 202-205) AR denarius Obv: PLAVTILLAE AVGVSTAE draped bust of Plautilla right Good luck with the digging Mark

Roman mosaic depicting a mythical chariot found

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7416473/Rare-Roman-mosaic-depicting-mythical-chariot-race-Greek-princess-uncovered-Berkshire-village.html

8th August 2019 More applications and exports

Just over 3 weeks before the kick off to the new season !!

At this time of the year, while the crops are being harvested, I am just beavering away behind the scenes compiling export applications for all the guys pouches last season. I keep posting any missed un-photographed finds to the last hunt page including a huge English Civil War cannon ball a guy found. Latest finds page

There were also a couple more pieces of gold missed during the hunts that I cleaned up which takes this year gold total to 65, our 2nd best ever gold total for a season in 15 years. Gold page.

Loads more of approved export licenses have arrived and the names posted on the closed members forum.

As I process each guys pouch I update last years forum competition to win a free weeks trip next season. Check out the latest total updated today to see if you are still in the running. http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/F/forumcompetition.htm

Back to processing more applications. !!

2nd July 2019 Find of the year

Monster ancient gold ingot - 81.54g,40.82mm L, 21.05mm W, 10.02mm T - reported as treasure to museum

Stunning medieval gold ring - decorated outer band - full inner inscription in Lombardic script

Pencer De Moy ?

3.77g.19mm dia

Note

Celtic gold votive offering as ring money

Gold ring money- 1st C BC
Smooth ring with blunt ends Van Arsdell 1-3 Taylor pl33 Hobbs-- SCBS-- CE4244

6.86g, 32mm L

The members have completed the voting for their favourite 'Find of the Year' and it was a landslide victory for Wis Tim's monster gold ingot find. Min Mindy's stunning medieval gold ring was 2nd with Alaskan Steve's Celtic votive offering in 3rd place. All 3 finds are currently with Colchester museum going through the treasure process. It will be fascinating to see what date is attached to the gold ingot after it is tested by the museum experts.

I have been updating the free forum competition page with the latest competition count as I process the export pouches. Make sure you have a guess at the new competition after voting for your favourite find of the year.

http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/F/forumcompetition.htm

More approved export licenses have arrived and names posted on the closed members forum.

I have a meeting this week with the museum to take in more treasures and hoard coins and hopefully I will pick up more disclaimed treasures items.

13th June 2019 - More updates and exports

I have been busy updating the individual find pages below with finds from the 2nd half of the season. Lots more export license application have been made and full find lists and pictures posted on the closed members forum.

I have been updating the free forum competition page with the latest competition count as I process the export pouches. Make sure you have a guess at the new competition after voting for your favourite find of the year.

http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/F/forumcompetition.htm

	Mary hammered silver coins		Henry V hammered gold and silver coins
	17thC Trade farthings and tokens		Henry 1st to King John hammered silver coins
	James 1st hammered gold and silver coins		Army numbered regiment buttons
	Charles II and James II milled silver coins		Army named regiment buttons
	Charles 1st hammered silver coins		Livery buttons
	Venetian hammered silver coins		Medieval seal matrix
	Post medieval seal matrix		Saxon harness fittings
	Saxon gold and silver coins		18thC clog fasteners
	Toy cannons		Celtic gold coins
	Henry VIII hammered silver coins

8th May 2019 Last hunt of the season and they smashed it again

Top team - Va Brian, Va Phill, Lo Ashely,Tx Ali,Tx Josh, Tx Scott W and Texas Scott J

Ashley presents Tx Scott J for last years 'Pouch of the Year' award.

Tx Scott W, Ashley and Tx Scott J for last years 'team winners' medallion and shield

Tx Ali's 50 BC Uninscribed 'P' gold - 'Trophy' Type - 1/4 Celtic gold coin - 1.35g, 11.31mm - sent to CCI for recording

Beaded trophy quater, ABC 2243, BMC 435, not in VA.  Extremely rare, 10 others known.  An interesting Essex type because of its Kentish associations (derived from the Kentish trophy issue but a separate type), it may have been struck by an otherwise unknown offshoot of the Cantii.

Early 1660 -2 Charles II milled silver half groat - this legend CAROLVS.II.D.G

For the 3rd season in a row Louisiana Ashley's last late season hunt has earned them the club's 'team of the year' award. This team has their own bus and stay in self catering accommodation, they always come in late April when everyone and his mum in the club has hunted the land from Sept. On most of the 300 + fields we have to search the wheat is too high this time of year to detect on so they have a very restricted land choice of just brown fields. No new land was available but they had the odd field here and there on some of our great old Celtic sites we have had as a club for 14 years. These guys made it look like no one had ever hunted them and smashed our 2nd best ever gold count with 5 pieces to make the total for the year 63. Gold page. Not content with the gold they found, they also popped 2 Saxon silver sceats and a loads of hammered silver coins and widgets. I have posted a load of them on to the last hunt page and still have loads more to upload yet. Latest finds page

They searched sites where none of the members ever want to go on any more and banged in loads of great widgets. Their most outstanding day for me was on a 15 year old field that most of the club have dismissed in the past and they found 40 milled silver coins including 7 big ones, Florins and Half-crowns. I have never seen that many big silvers dug in a day, amazing hunting. Most were George V's but amongst them was a nice George IV, Victoria and a rare 1660's Charles II silver half groat. Tx Ali found a mint Trophy Celtic gold on that field, our first ever from that area. On the field next door Va Phil popped his first ever gold coin, a sweet 1762 George III milled gold love token below. Ashley got her first gold coin, part of an early French hammered gold and Tx Ali popped another monster sized gold coin, a Elizabeth 1st gold half pound. Our jeweler with have to work his magic on it.

So that's it for this season and now I have to get on with all the export license application preparations. I have launched the new free forum competition for the coming season to win another free trip and it is also time for members to vote for their favourite 'find of the year'. More details on members forum.

Free forum competition

1762 George III milled gold half guinea - love token

2.08g,15.44mm

1560-1 Elizabeth 1st hammered gold half pound coin - (10 shillings, 120 pence)

28.8mm,5.11g

78gn

Spink ref S2520

1 Ecu d'Or 1494-1547 France Ecu d'Or au Soleil, François Ier à la Croisette

Obverse legend : (SOLEIL) FRANCISCVS: D: GRA: FRANCOVM REX. (MM). (TRÈFLE).

Obverse description : Écu de France couronné ; lettre d'atelier à la pointe de l'écu.

Obverse translation : (François, par la grâce de Dieu, roi des Francs).


Reverse

Reverse legend : + XPS VINCIT. XPS. REGNAT. XPS IMPERAT (MM) (TRÈFLE).

Reverse description : Croix plaine alésée dans un double polylobe tréflé (11 lobes).

Reverse translation : (Le Christ vainc, le Christ règne, le Christ commande).

1634-5 Charles 1st hammered silver sixpence - bell mint mint

Medieval seal matrix - cleaning in order to take a wax impression

By my count on the database there are 4 boars' heads coouped with legend CREDE MICHI, 2 with PRIVE/PREVE SV, 1 LEGE TEGE and 1 "IE SV CEI IEL" [which must be IE SV SEL LEL] -- if you orient it so that the head is exactly horizontal, you'll see the "New Readers start here" star exactly at 12 o'clock where it should be, and then one of the few letters I can make out is the prominent V -- exactly where it should be for PRIVE/PREVE  and I think I can see the following SV ... BUT! the lettering seems to continue, so if it is PRIVE SV or PREVE SV, there must be another word or two after that, e.g. E LEL (and loyal/faithful) which I think does sometimes occur as an extension of the simple PRIVE SV -- I'm not saying yours DOES say E LEL -- merely quoting that as an example!

Malcolm

What a rare relic - 17thC clothing fastener with the 1649 Commonwealth double shield design

Primary Saxon silver sceat 600- 700 AD - sent to Fitzwilliam museum for recording and ID

12.58mm,1.17g

(EMC 2019.0156) is Series E, Plumed Bird variety

Primary Saxon silver sceat 600- 700 AD - sent to Fitzwilliam museum for recording and ID

11.66mm,1.18g

Series B II (Type 27b) as EMC 2019.0155.

12th April 2019 - Rare Dragon type Celtic found

Celtic gold qtr stater - not certain of tribe yet- send for recording and ID

1.38g, 13.42mm

50 BC Clacton Dragon type

Rev Traces of 'three men in a boat' design

Obv Central bar with appendages forming 'dragonesque' motif

Great find, it's a new reverse variant of the British F 'Dragon' type, ABC 2353 for an earlier version with open-mouthed beast clearly visible and DK 422 for a later, jumbled variant; all the known examples are from the same obverse die, here seen quite worn.

All the best

Georgia Doug, hunting new land, popped our first ever Dragon type Celtic gold qtr stater above, amazing find. Lots more great finds posted to the latest finds page. 2018 March finds page.

Also check out this years gold finds Gold page.

Early medieval hooked hanger

Romano-British protected loop terret

'Protected loop terrets are usually considered to be Roman and dating to the late first and second centuries AD'

Stunning silver mounted Georgian intaglio

2ndC Roman silver coin - hoard addendum reported to museum

2.16g,17.34mm

450 million year old fossil

Sea Urchin Echinoid