• Metal detecting holidays in England with the World's most successful metal detecting club.

    Twinned with Midwest Historical Research Society USA

     

    Comments and ID's against Roman coins are from our expert Mark Lehman who also lectures on the subject in the USA

    Comments and ID's against Celtic coins are from John Sills who runs the National Celtic Coin Index

    Comments and ID's against early Medieval coins are from Dr Martin Allen who runs the National database at the Fitzwilliam museum

    Comments and ID's on military buttons are from Tim Burton info@hamwichouse.com

    Contact Louisiana Sal stateside for an American's view on hunting here sal@historyhunts.com

    Contact Ark Gary for an American's view on hunting here goldeneggman@gmail.com

     

    Main News Page Updated 18th Feb 2024

    *** Latest finds posted to the new hunt page

    2023 Oct finds page

    2023 Sept finds page

    2023 April finds page

    2023 March finds page

    2023 Feb finds page

    2022 Oct finds page

    2022 Sept finds page

    2022 April finds page

    2022 March finds page

    2021 Oct finds page

    2021 Sept finds page

    COVID hunt page Sept 2020

    2020 March finds page

    2020 Feb finds page

    Oct 2019 finds page

    Sept 2019 finds page

    March 2019 finds page

    Feb 2019 finds page

    Oct 2018 finds page

    Sept 2018 finds page

    April 2018 finds page

    March 2018 finds page

    Feb 2018 finds page

     

    2nd half of the season kicks off 22nd Feb 2024

     

    Days Hours Minutes Seconds

    Total available fields to choose from is 180 +

    London Time - Chicago Time - Miami Time - Ontario Time - Los Angeles

    Report any sightings of illegal metal detecting you see to our local dedicated police officer.

    Take pictures of them together with the registration numbers

    on their vehicles and phone or email below.

    Tel 07890 513899 - PC Andy long

    email - wildlife@essex.pnn.police.uk

     

    18th Feb 2024 Kick off in 4 days

    I have finally finished all the export applications and the guys will be back shortly to find a load more for me to process !!It takes a very long time to process a guys pouch properly as you have to take a picture of every man made metal find over 50 years old to get an export license. Each find has to be numbered and a full description typed. It is great to be able to record important finds directly on to the PAS national database like the Bronze Age socketed lance head below. Guys never throw away any find so I can check them in their pouch after they leave. I have posted more missed finds to the bottom of the last hunt page. 2023 Oct finds page.

     

    1300 BC Bronze Age socketed lance head

    49 mm L x 11mm w

    7.49g

    Middle Bronze Age gold chain
    PAS Database number:  ESS-F1E21D
    Date/Period:  Middle Bronze Age (c.1300-1150 BC)
    Finder:  Tom Reyes
    Date of Discovery:  Monday 27th February 2023
    Circumstances of discovery:  Metal-detecting with permission during an organised metal-detecting holiday
    Description:  A gold chain composed of two interlocking tripartite composite rings of Middle Bronze Age date (c.1300-1150 BC). The object is composed of two separately-constructed C-shaped penannular rings. Each ring in constructed from three circular-sectioned rods, stacked one on top of the other, and curled round to form an open loop. The rods terminate in flat ends. The rings have been linked so that one passes through the centre of the other. The surface of the gold is rough on the inside of each ring as well as on the outside where the rings are the most curved. Elsewhere, at the ends of the rods and on the long side, the surface is smooth. 
    Dimensions: 
    length (total): 23.5mm; (ring 1): 15.8; (ring 2): 15.6mm;
    width: (ring 1): 13mm; (ring 2): 13.6mm;
    thickness: (ring 1): 1.9mm; (ring 2): 2mm;
    weight: 16.36g
    Discussion:  A longer chain of linked tripartite composite rings is held in the British Museum and dated to 1400BC-700BC (WG.21). Single tripartite composite rings have also been found and reported as Treasure, as they were dated to c.1300-1150 BC, including LEIC-88F086 (2021T762), BUC-9754C7 (2007T118) and SUSS-63B7A6 (2012T165) which includes the following discussion:
    Although small, penannular rings are amongst the most common items of gold to survive from the British Bronze Age, they remain one of the most problematic classes of prehistoric artefacts as they generally lack good contexts or associations with other classes of metalwork, making them difficult to date accurately (Meeks, Craddock, & Needham 2008: 13). Their appearance in Britain most likely coincides with the beginning of the 'Ornament Horizon' (c. 1400-1100 BC), a new tradition of gold ornaments which coincides with the early Taunton to the later Penard metalwork phases for England and Wales (Roberts 2007: 7). This ring, therefore, can be generally dated to the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1400-1140 BC).
    A date of c. 1300-1150 BC is therefore suggested for this object based on the aforementioned parallels.
    Conclusion:  It is therefore likely that this object was at least 300 years old at the time of discovery and, as the object is made of more than 10% precious metals, therefore constitutes potential Treasure under the stipulations of The Treasure Act 1996.
    Authors:
    Lori Rogerson, Finds Liaison Officer, Essex

    Wash Tom's crew are the first guys in to kick off the 2nd half of the season on the 22nd Feb. Tom is back picking up his award as last season 'Find of the Year' winner. He found those amazing double 1300 BC BC gold rings above that are currently going through the treasure process. He also gets his freebie weeks detecting prize for this trip and an engraved silver urn award I will present him with.

     

    18th Jan 2024 More great finds

     

    Leaf-shaped sword, 1000-800 BCE.

    Bronze Age weapons have been discovered across Europe. They show how important warriors were in these early metal-working communities. Weapons have changed over time. At first flat daggers and knives were the most typical. These were followed by dirks and rapiers for stabbing and thrusting. Towards the end of the Bronze Age, the first true slashing swords became the weapons of choice. Bronze spearheads were also used. 3,700 years ago they replaced bows and arrows as the most common projectile weapon.

    Leaf-shaped, with grooved and beveled edges. The handle-plate is T-shaped and contains two rivet-holes, with one rivet remaining, and a depression for a third hole, but not actually bored. There were to have been two holes in the shoulders, but only the lower has been bored in each case.

     

     

    Late Bronze Age sword

    85.66mm L x 36.89m W x 8.66mm T

    76.3g

    Updated ID on this Saxon bronze brooch

    As I process the guys pouches, so I can apply for export applications, there are always finds they never showed me when they are out there searching. Omaha Kathryn had this large chunk of a Bronze Age sword above which I recored on PAS. I have also posted more missed finds to the bottom of the 2023 Oct finds page.

    The FLO sent me an update of a brooch found that I though was Roman, turns out to be Saxon.

    'I noticed a brooch on your website under October 2023 finds which is an early medieval Ansate brooch. Anglo-Saxon finds are not common in Essex so anything that can be confidently identified and closely dated should definitely be recorded. Here’s one from Cambridgeshire I recorded recently: Record ID: ESS-C6B4F1 - EARLY MEDIEVAL brooch (finds.org.uk). You can also read more about them on the brooches guide here: Brooches – Finds Recording Guides. Do you have all the details to be able to record it?'

    FLO 

    I have updated a load of the individual finds pages below with first half of the seasons finds.

    Pilgrim relics Bells and whistles
    William and Mary gold and silver coins Edward 1st and 2nd hammered silver coins
    Gold rings Lead tokens
    Silver buttons Pot parts
    Trade weights Coin and apothecary weights
    Henry VI hammered gold and silver coins Henry V hammered gold and silver coins
           
           

    23rd Dec 2023 More exports and updates

    Just been busy preparing more export applications for the guys pouches and posting any missed finds to the bottom of the last hunt page.2023 Oct finds page. Mass Robert had a very interesting widget at the bottom of his pouch that looked like a couple of broken bits of rod. On closer inspection the two halves fitted together and had the classic bell shaped end of a small silver Torc. I have reported it as treasure to the museum.

    Celtic Torc ended shaped ring - not certain of the material but reporting it as potential treasure

    The Celtic tribes had gold, silver and bronze examples

    I have been updating this season 'Forum Competition' page total with lead items as I process the pouches. I finally managed to get hold of a copy of an out of publication above last printed in 1976. I have been trying to ID the hundreds of our livery button finds with their family name. Livery buttons.

    Updated the individual pages below with the latest finds.

     

    3rd to 4thC Roman bronze coin 1st to 2nd C Roman bronze coins
    Foreign hammered silver coins AD dated Roman silver coins
    BC Roman silver coins Foreign milled gold and silver coins
    George III milled gold and silver coins Lead cloth seals
    Lead bale seals Police, fire and corporation buttons
    Clothing fasteners Dress buttons
    Hammered gold coins Henry VII hammered silver coins
    Henry III short and long cross hammered silver coins Henry VIII hammered silver coins
    17thC hammered copper coins Military badges
    Bayonet and muskets parts Livery buttons

     

     

     

    26th Nov 2023 - More updates and exports

    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'

     

    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


    I picked up a huge bag of disclaimed treasures and hoard coins from the museum and have been busy submitting all their export applications. I was surprised to get back both the huge gold ingot and the Celtic gold votive offering finds above. Both the finders paid the landowner this week for their half so they are now set to take them home after next trip once the export licenses are back approved.

    I have been processing export pouches from the first half of the season and posting missed finds to the bottom of the 2023 Oct finds page.

    I have also updated the individual finds pages below with the first half of the seasons finds.

     

    Medallions and badges Venetian silver coins
    18thC copper tokens Scottish hammered silver coins
    Royal Artillery buttons Stone Age flints relics
    Military named regiments Clog fasteners
    Military numbered regiment buttons Roman gold page
    Bayonet and powder measure Seal matrix medieval
    Jetton coins Seal matrix post medieval
    Commonwealth hammered silver coins George IV gold and silver milled coins
    William IV gold and silver milled coins Bronze Age relics
    1300 BC gold relic page Toy cannons
    Queen Anne milled gold and silver coins Cannon balls

     

    5th Nov 2023 - Half season break - great range of silver coins

    The guys left last week to end the first half of the season, the teams are back in March again to continue searching. I have a few more finds to upload yet from last week to the latest finds page. 2023 Oct finds page. A great range of silver coins have been posted.

    Cal Dave was back,using his free detecting weeks prize after winning the 'Find of the year' silver urn for that mega rare 1300 BC Celtic gold Torc find. He popped the last gold coin before the season break with a sweet 1797 George III gold third guinea. That takes the gold count so far since Sept to a respectable 28 pieces, check out the updated gold page. What is very interesting is our two new plots of land only produced two of those golds and the other 26 from old land.

    It is now time to process the finds pouches for the guys and apply for export licenses.

    I have managed to finally ID Ill Mike's Celtic silver unit find that was a crusty lump. I am slowly cleaning it using lemon juice and a tooth pick. It is a brand new tribe for us.

    Our first ever ECE type. It needs more cleaning to be exact variant but the sun with pellets was the giveaway to the type.




    1stC BC - ECE Celtic silver unit - East Anglian silver unit- needs more 'cooking' to remove crust
    Obv - 2 opposed crescents a & 2 pellets in hexagon crossed by 5 alternating pellet/plain lines
    Rev - horse L, 6 pellets on shoulder, double forelegs, above pellet-ring f, below ECE.
    Ref Hobbs 4534

    Dave just picked up his 'Find of the year award' for his 1300 BC gold torc find then pops another George gold !!

    1797 George III milled gold third guinea

    2.76g, 16.85mm

    11,000 BC flint spear head

    1711 Anne milled silver shilling (12 pence) 1710 Anne milled silver maundy two pence

    Anne shilling v 2 pence size comparison

    German States Saxon 1798 1/12 Thaler

    Obverse: Crowned large oval arms

    Obverse Legend: FRID: AVGVST: D: G: DUX SAX: ELECTOR

    Reverse: Value above date

    Reverse Legend: CLX • EINE FEINE MARK •

    1/8th rupee of Alamgir II, Madras Presidency, British India, circa 1817-1835.

    OhioDrew

    1377 Richard II hammered silver farthing

    Obv +RICARDxREXx:ANGL

    Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

    1646-8 Charles 1st hammered silver shilling - Sceptre mint mark

    Tower mint under Parliament

    1413-22 Henry V milled silver farthing- Type 1

    Obv ***** REX.ANGL*

    Rev VIL/****/IS: - Calais mint

    1762 Friedrich von Dänemark -1 Marien Groschen

    Rev 1 Marien Gros:

    OLM 1762

    Ferdinand & Isabella Half Real  Circa, 1474-1504. Silver Bundle of arrows, +FERNANDVS ET ELISABET D G. R. Flourished crown, M T mint mark below, Toledo mint.

    1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny

    Obv hENRICVS REX III

    Obv NOR/W/hVG/EON - Moneyer Hvge of Norwich mint

    1526-44 Henry VIII hammered silver penny Sovereign type

    Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

    1649 Commonwealth hammered silver penny
    1565 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny- Rose mint mark 1625 Charles 1st hammered silver half penny - rose both sides no legend type

     

    18th Oct 2023 - More fantastic finds

    The guys are on fire at the moment making some more amazing discoveries. I have posted hundreds more great finds onto the 2023 Oct finds page.

    Ohio Chris had a great day popping a rolled gold ancient sheet and then his next target was a beauty Roman gold coin. These have been reported to museum as potential treasure.

    There have also been some rare hammered silver found including a 1552 Mary hammered silver penny, rare as hens teeth. Some beauty lead finds like the medieval vessica seal matrix and pilgrims ampullea. Org Gary found a rare 2000 BC bronze age socketed arrow head. Too many great finds to list so check out the 2023 Oct finds page.

    I have updated the latest gold finds to our gold page and it now stands as 27 for the season opening. Gold page

     

    Latest Happy gold finders - Michael and Eric

    Mo Brandon with his Wayne Otto Club award and Boston Dave (FOTY and POTY winner)

     

     

    5thC Roman gold coin - 4.36g, 21.03m - sent for ID

    Constantine looking bust facing right

    I’m going to need a while on this one. It does look like a solidus. Whether it technically falls within the “Roman” series or the “Byzantine” series I can’t tell at this point.
    These distinctions are artificially imposed to fit existing modern opinions about the relationship between the Eastern and Western empires, and trying to accurately assign a point at which to begin calling Roman coins Byzantine coins, at best. They are part of a continuum of “Eastern Roman” issues.

    Mark

    Valentinian III, 425-455 AD.
    AV solidus (your metrology goes here)
    Mint of Rome, 425-6 AD. or 440-455 AD.
    Obv: D N PLA VALENTINIANVS P F AVG  diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Valentinian III right
    Rev: VICTORIA AVGGG valentinian in military garb standing facing, holding long cross and Victory on globe; R -  M in fields // COM OB (in exergue)
    Cf. RIC X 2005-6 or 2014-2015
    Mark

     

    Gold spoil probably 6th C - reported as treasure to museum

    13.7g, 16.09 mm L x 1.39 mm T

     

     

    Ancient gold strip - reported to museum as treasure

    3.01g, 62.4mm L x 4.6mm W x 0.85mm T

     

    Large 13thC heraldic enamelled shield pendant - chequy type -researching owner

    Azure and Gules colours - some Or

    Previous PAS record Unique ID: IHS-1CD2A4

    Arms: Gatton, de or Warenne, de

    There appear to be microscopic traces of dark blue in some surface pits, suggesting that the original tinctures were "chequy a metal and azure". Depending on whether the metal was gold or silver, the arms represented may have been those of Gatton or Warenne. Both Hamo de Gatton senior, and his supposed son, Hamo junior, used chequy argent and azure as their arms. Hamo senior, of Gatton in Surrey, served as sheriff of Kent in 1286; he was summoned to serve against the Welsh in 1277 and 1282, dying in 1292. Hamo junior was summoned to serve against the Scots in 1298, and died two years later, leaving a minor, Edmund, as his heir. The second, and perhaps most likely, possibility for the owners of these arms are the Warenne earls of Surrey who used chequy or and azure. The Warennes were arguably the wealthiest landowners in England in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries; their arms are thought to be some of the oldest known. The family's stature and wealth derived, to some degree, from their royal ancestry via one of Geoffrey of Anjou's illegitimate sons; Geoffrey was the father of Henry II, the founder of the Plantagenet dynasty. The Warennes' royal links were reinforced by the marriage of John de Warenne with Alice de Luisgnan, Henry III's half sister. John de Warenne generally served Edward I well: he was summoned to serve against the Welsh in 1277 and 1294, and against the Scots in 1291, 1297 and 1300, becoming 'Keeper of Scotland' in 1291. Warenne died in 1304, leaving a grandson, also John, as his heir.

    Roman silver coin - sent for ID - 'cooking' to remove crust

    96-117 AD.

    This is obviously Trajan and very likely a denarius or Provincial drachma

    It’s not easy to see, but this is another example of the so-called “Capitoline wolf” – the ancient bronze statue of the she-wolf. Self-explanatory to the typical Roman, it didn’t need the pair of suckling twins which added in the renaissance with which it is displayed today (in the Vatican? – not sure where, but it’s a famous museum).
    Its use as a design, however, included the twins from an early time – coins were not the only place it might be seen – frescoes, “copycat” statues, even graffiti were common places to see it.
    The she-wolf stands left, looking back at the twins suckling – on the common Constantinian-era AE’s, two stars are seen in the field above. I’m unsure what the large round feature is at 10:00 – it might be the head of a nail the remains of the point of which is visible protruding from behind Trajan’s head – or it might just be some corrosion, and that’s a big issue with this piece – as you can see three is a lamination issue, too.
    I don’t know quite what to tell you for cataloging since the legend(s?) are pretty well obliterated. You say its silver (there are many AE coins of Trajan with wolf reverses), but without doing a line-by-line search through over 1000 listings of Trajan denarius types in the RSC, I don’t see this listed.
    If I run across a listing, I’ll let you know. It might be a Provincial AR issue, too, again without any legible legend, it’s difficult to do a search in something like RPC as well.
    Mark

    Rare 1553-54 Mary hammered silver penny

    Obv M.D.ROSA

    Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

    1891 Victoria milled gold full sovereign

    8.0g, 21.92mm

    1871 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

    3.99g, 19.37mm

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

    1.33g, 10.76mm

    Stunning Georgain fob seal

    Mint mudlark find

     

    Obv HANS* KRAVWINCKEL GOTESS*

    Rev *RECHEN*PEENING NVRENBER

    Four different Krauwinckel makers made “rose and orb” type jettons, including brothers Damianus and Hans (I) Krauwinckel, and Egidius and Hanns (II) Krauwinckel who were the sons of Damianus.

    Hans Krauwinckel (1562-1586)

    Hans Krauwinckel II (1586-1635)

    Hans Lauffer (1611-1632)

    Hans Schultes

    The reverse side of the “rose and orb” jettons depicts an imperial orb within a trilobe. The surrounding letters are often various verses from the Bible. Inscribed GOTES SEGEN MACHT REICH (“God’s blessing brings riches”).

    GETRIVW HANDT KOMBT DURCH ALLE (“Truth succeeds over all”)

    GLUCK BESCHERT IST VNGEWERT (“Fortune given is not guaranteed”)

    GOTES REICH BLIBT EWICK (“God’s Kingdom remains eternal”)

    GOTT ALLEIN DIE EERE SEI (“To God alone the glory”)

    HEIT ROTT MORGEN DOTT (“Red today, dead tomorrow”)

    VERBVM DOMINI MANET IN ETERN (“The Word of God remains eternal”)

    This is an incomplete socketed arrowhead of Bronze Age date (c.2550-800 BC).

    16.74g

     

     

    4th Oct 2023 More great finds

    I have started a new 2023 Oct finds page and uploaded loads more great finds to it. The guys have been making more amazing discoveries including our oldest ever milled gold coin a Charles II half guinea, what a rare find. It was Ct Todd's 2nd gold find of his trip having found that stunning enameled gold posy ring. Cal Mark popped his first ever Celtic gold on new land, a sweet Dubnovellaunos gold qtr stater.

    There has been some great relics found like the monster sized toy cannon and a Saxon stirrup mount. Check out our other Saxon harness finds here.

     

    1672-84 Charles II milled gold half guinea- 2nd bust - 3.72g, 21.38mm

    Dubnovellaunos 25 BC to 5 AD Celtic gold qtr stater

    1.35g, 13.19 mm

    Huge 18thC toy cannon

    c10thC Saxon stirup mount - Type 1 group 1 - Class B

    The central head has an aperture for its mouth and its sunken eyes and ears give it a curious aspect- Two Fe rivets survive.

    Ref D Williams 399

    James VI of Scotland hammered silver Eighth Thistle Merk ( 20 pence)

    Obv IACOBUS 6 D.G.R.SCOTORUM - James VI by the grace of god king of the Scots

    Rev REGEM IOVA PROTEGIT 1602 - Jehovah protects the King 1602

    Obverse

    Crowned arms of Zeeland dividing value, date above.

    Script: Latin

    Lettering:
    1752
    MON : NOV : ARGENT : ORDIN : ZELAND
    6 ST

    Unabridged legend: Moneta nova argentea ordinum Zelandiae

    Translation: New silver coin of the province of Zeeland

    Reverse

    Three mast ship sailing to right.

    Script: Latin

    Lettering: ITA RELINQUENDA UT ACCEPTA · ♜

    Translation: It should be left as it's been received

    Edge

    Agostino Barbarigo LXXXIV Doge (1486-1501)


    Soldino o Marchetto (AR) Biaggi 2938


    D/ AV.BAR.S.M.V.DUX / S.Marco a s., il Doge a d.


    R/LAVS TIBI SOLI / il Redentore

    1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny- Class 3a

    Obv hENRICVS REX III

    Obv NIC/OLE/ONL/VND - Moneyer Nicole of London mint

    Unknown foreign coin - researching it

    Similar coin ID

    INDIA BAHAWALPUR NAWAB SADIQ V COPPER COIN 1327

     

    26th Sept 20023 Crazy 2nd week of gold finds

    Tx Scott and Tx Josh pop 4 Celtic golds between them

    The guys have gone crazy out there making some staggeringly beautiful gold finds. Tx Josh had an amazing weeks with three Celtic gold qtr staters. One of the most beautiful gold posy rings I have ever seen dug was popped by Ct Todd, the workmanship is mind blowing. I am so backed up with other great finds to post including Celtic silver and bronze units, seals etc. I have uploaded a few to the latest finds page 2023 Sept finds

    Keep checking the page for finds as I post them daily.

    Medieval gold ring with ruby - reported as treasure to museum

    1.835g, 24.29mm

    1789 George III milled gold half guinea

    4.2g, 20.7mm

    Early bevelled plain gold ring - no hallmarks - reported to museum as treasure

    1.81g, 18.96mm

    Quarter-noble, fourth coinage 1351-77, Treaty period 1361-1369, Tower mint, mintmark cross potent, annulet before Edward-Lis in centre, double satire stops

    Obv shield quartered with the arms of England and France within a treassure of eight arches

    Obv +oEDWARD xx DEI xx GRAxxREX xxANGL

    Rev +EXALTABITAR IN GLORIA

    1.92g, 19.6mm

     

    17thC enamelled gold posy ring-reported as treasure to museum

    'I am but a token'

    1.73g, 15mm

    5.56g, 18.62mm

    45 BC to 25BCAddedomarus - Trinovantian tribe - reported to museum

    Addedomarus (sometimes written Aθθedomarus on coins) was a king of south-eastern Britain in the late 1st century BC. His name is known only from his inscribed coins, the distribution of which seem to indicate that he was the ruler of the Trinovantes.

    1.33g, 10.57mm

    Dubnovellaunos 25 BC to 5 AD Celtic gold qtr -reported to museum

    Dubnovellaunus is the name of a king who, based on coin distribution, appears to have ruled over Kent east of the River Medway. He was the first king of the Cantiaci to issue inscribed coins: some of his coins appear to date from as early as 40-30 BC. Towards the end of the 1st century BC he seems to have been succeeded by a king called Vodenos or Vosenios, although it is possible the two kings' reigns were contemporary or overlapped.

    A king called Dubnovellaunus succeeded his father Addedomarus as king of the Trinovantes ca. 10-5 BC and ruled for several years before being supplanted by Cunobelinus of the Catuvellauni.

     

     

     

     

     

    1.26g,12..33mm

    70BC uninscribed 'Q' Gold - 'Remi 'Type Celtic gold qtr stater -reported to museum

    The Remi were a Belgic people of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica). The Romans regarded them as a civitas, a major and influential polity of Gaul,The Remi occupied the northern Champagne plain, on the southern fringes of the Forest of Ardennes, between the rivers Mosa (Meuse) and Matrona (Marne), and along the river valleys of the Aisne and its tributaries the Aire and the Vesle.

     

    8-13 AD Cunobelin biga type qtr gold stater -reported to museum

    1.32g, 12.01mm

     

    19th Sept 20023 Beauty gold and relics found

    The guys kicked off the season last week and have made some brilliant finds already. I have started a new hunt page 2023 Sept finds where I have uploaded a few finds. I have real some beauty finds yet to photo including a medieval gold ring with black sapphire stone and Celtic silver and bronzes.


    The guys have dug the whole range of widgets from 11,000 flint scrapers, 1500 BC Palstave axe, 1300 BC gold ring. 175BC Celtic gold coins. There has also been two rarer gold coins, George II guinea and one we have never found before a William IV gold sovereign.

    I have ton of other great silver coins and widgets to upload yet so check out the 2023 Sept finds page link regularily.

    11,000 BC flint scraper

     

     

    Mid 2nd C BC

    Gallo- Belgic A type

    175 BC Celtic gold qtr stater - 1.68g, 14.85mm

    Virginia Marg

     

    1300 BC gold armlet ring - reported to museum as treasure

    6.42g, 14.22mm dia, 5.66mm T

     

    Ill Tim

    Dubnovellaunos 25 BC to 5 AD Celtic gold qtr stater

    1.24g, 12.38mm

     

     

     

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

    263.0 g, 120mm L x 53.3mm W x 21.44mm T

    1756 George II milled gold half guinea - love token

    4.077g ,20.64mm

    1835 William IV milled gold half sovereign

     

    3.96g, 19.27mm

    17th August 2023 - More exports and updates - 4000 greenies now up

    Just three more weeks until the kick off for the new season and the weather has been brilliant. Lots of rain with the odd day of sun means the ground is soft and moist, not baked like a bastard like last season. Last Sept the ground was in the worse condition I have ever seen in 20 years with guys trying to chisel out their finds, however the still guys did amazingly well considering the challenging conditions.

    I am still busy processing export license applications and adding this season copper coin count to the forum competition page. I am amazed that we have now passed the 4000 mark with 4046 logged so far. It only leaves 4 guys that are in with a chance to win the free week trip as the prize. Forum Competition Page. I picked up a huge batch of disclaimed treasure and hoard coins from the museum and have applied for more export licenses so they can take their finds home. Details posted on members forum. I have updated the hoard and treasure page. Wash Tom has now received the curators report below for his stunning FOTY Bronze gold rings below.

    I have added more missed finds to the bottom on the last hunt page 2023 April finds page.

    Middle Bronze Age gold chain
    PAS Database number:  ESS-F1E21D
    Date/Period:  Middle Bronze Age (c.1300-1150 BC)
    Finder:  Tom Reyes
    Date of Discovery:  Monday 27th February 2023
    Circumstances of discovery:  Metal-detecting with permission during an organised metal-detecting holiday
    Description:  A gold chain composed of two interlocking tripartite composite rings of Middle Bronze Age date (c.1300-1150 BC). The object is composed of two separately-constructed C-shaped penannular rings. Each ring in constructed from three circular-sectioned rods, stacked one on top of the other, and curled round to form an open loop. The rods terminate in flat ends. The rings have been linked so that one passes through the centre of the other. The surface of the gold is rough on the inside of each ring as well as on the outside where the rings are the most curved. Elsewhere, at the ends of the rods and on the long side, the surface is smooth. 
    Dimensions: 
    length (total): 23.5mm; (ring 1): 15.8; (ring 2): 15.6mm;
    width: (ring 1): 13mm; (ring 2): 13.6mm;
    thickness: (ring 1): 1.9mm; (ring 2): 2mm;
    weight: 16.36g
    Discussion:  A longer chain of linked tripartite composite rings is held in the British Museum and dated to 1400BC-700BC (WG.21). Single tripartite composite rings have also been found and reported as Treasure, as they were dated to c.1300-1150 BC, including LEIC-88F086 (2021T762), BUC-9754C7 (2007T118) and SUSS-63B7A6 (2012T165) which includes the following discussion:
    Although small, penannular rings are amongst the most common items of gold to survive from the British Bronze Age, they remain one of the most problematic classes of prehistoric artefacts as they generally lack good contexts or associations with other classes of metalwork, making them difficult to date accurately (Meeks, Craddock, & Needham 2008: 13). Their appearance in Britain most likely coincides with the beginning of the 'Ornament Horizon' (c. 1400-1100 BC), a new tradition of gold ornaments which coincides with the early Taunton to the later Penard metalwork phases for England and Wales (Roberts 2007: 7). This ring, therefore, can be generally dated to the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1400-1140 BC).
    A date of c. 1300-1150 BC is therefore suggested for this object based on the aforementioned parallels.
    Conclusion:  It is therefore likely that this object was at least 300 years old at the time of discovery and, as the object is made of more than 10% precious metals, therefore constitutes potential Treasure under the stipulations of The Treasure Act 1996.
    Authors:
    Lori Rogerson, Finds Liaison Officer, Essex

     

    Canadian Bill has made a great ID on this badge we found

     

    United States Army Army Warrant Officer Branch Insignia - Officer Gold

    U.S. Army Branch Insignia Badges represent a service member's specific field of service. Each soldier - both enlisted and officer - wear their branch insignia badge on their Class A or Army dress blue uniforms denoting their particular skill set. Army branch insignia badges differ from Army qualification badges. Qualification badges require completion of a training course or school, while branch insignia badges are issued to a service member upon being assigned to a particular area of the Army. Enlisted soldiers wear the branch insignia on the left coat lapel, opposite the "U.S." insignia disk, whereas, officers wear the insignia on the lower half of both lapels beneath the "U.S." insignia. Branch insignia were first worn prior to the Civil War in the 1850s by Army personnel.

     

    Livery buttons Numbered regiment buttons
    Military named regiments Military badges
    Royal Artillery buttons    
           

     

    16th July 2023 Find of the year and BBC report

    1300BC gold Torc

     

    I am still busy producing export applications for the guys pouches from April. It is a long old process as every item over 50 years old has to be photo'd and itemised on the application. I am still posting missed finds to the bottom of the last finds page 2023 April finds page.

    I have another meeting with the museum this week as there are load of disclaimed treasures and hoard coins being returned. There are still some old Treasure cases that had not been resolved but one of our biggest has just been reported on the front of the Daily Mail and BBC site. It has just been declared treasure by the Chelmsford Coroner and will go forward to the valuation committee to suggest a reward to finder and landowner. By law the finds valuation is split 50/50 between them.

    'Mind-blowing' 3,000-year-old piece of gold jewellery discovered buried in an Essex field found to be rare Bronze Age neck ring from 1300BC

     

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sex-field.html

    'Bronze Age gold torc discovered in field near Mistley'

     

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66189465

    The members have had their yearly vote for their favourite 'find of the year'. Wash Tom's 1300 BC gold armlet rings below won by a landslide with the 2nd place going to Dave's rare medieval hammered gold Noble. Tom's wins the free weeks trip next season and the engrave silver urn trophy.

    I have been updating this seasons free competition total as I have been processing the export pouches. The number of copper coins found so far this season stands at 3496 and only 8 guys are left in the running to win the free trip prize. Check out your guess.

    Complete unit at the British museum

     

    Stunning pair of solid gold 1300 BC armlet rings - reported to museum as treasure

    16.42g - 16mm dia

     

    10th June 2023 More PAS updates and exports

    I am now up to speed with recording our finds directly on to the PAS National database. I picked a selection of our finds above to re- photo into the correct format for the database. A lot of information has to be added to each find and it is then forwarded for the FLO who checks my data and issues it live on the system.

    I am still busy processing the guys export pouches from the 2nd half of the season and posting any missed finds to the bottom of the 2023 April finds page.

    I have been updating the 'free forum competition' numbers total as I process the export pouches, and so far over 3000 copper coin finds have been logged. Check out your entry on the Forum Competition Page.

    Voting by members for their favourite "Find of the Year' is progressing well which gives you entry into this years competition to win a frees weeks detecting holiday next year.

    I am still updating all the individual finds pages below with the finds from the 2nd half of the season. I completed a massive update on the lead tokens page putting them all into their individual categories using the Powell system. Roman to 17thC lead tokens

     

    Watches and winders Henry VIII hammered silver coins
    Henry VII hammered silver coins Roman to 17thC lead tokens
    1st to 2ndC Roman bronze coins 3rd to 4th C Roman bronze coins
    Gold jewelry page - all periods Harness mounts all periods
    Celtic silver and bronze coins Foreign hammered gold and silver - all periods
    Elizabeth 1st hammered silver small denominations Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpences
    Elizabeth 1st hammered gold and large silver coins Elizabeth 1st hammered silver groats only
    18th tokens Celtic gold coins
           
           

     

    13th May 2023 PAS training completed - more updates

    I am now busy processing the guys export pouches from the 2nd half of the season and posting missed finds to the bottom of the 2023 April finds page

    Some very interesting relics found like the La Tene Roman brooch below that Cal George had in his bag. I always post the complete export pouches with the attached pictures and detailed ID lists onto the closed members forum. Check them out.

    Early 1st Century BC into 1st Century AD Roman brooch

    Fascinating fibular brooch - similar to Greek type or La Tene III

     

    This week I finally completed my Portable Antiquities Scheme training course and can now record our finds directly onto the National database.

    Great news for Ill Tim as he gets his huge gold ingot find below returned as the museum has now disclaimed it. 'This is the second largest gold ingot found in isolation recorded on the database' ,'the ingot conforms in weight to one quarter of a Roman pound (c. 327.45g)'.

    I have liaised with both the landowner and Ill Tim the finder and he is buying his half off her at a mutually accepted price. Once it is returned from the museum I will be applying for an export license.

     

     

     

    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'





    Treasure Case: 2018 T901
    Gold Ingot from LB

    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 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

    I received the latest club awards back engraved from our Trophy guy. He has now completed the 'I survived the COVID tour 2020' gold medallions for the only team to make it from the USA during the beginning of the COVIS wave. That season was a washout due to the pandemic restrictions. Other 'missed' medallions have also been made to present to the guys. Currently members are voting for there favourite 'find of the year', winner gets a free weeks detecting trip and the engraved silver urn trophy.

    Loads of pages below updated with finds from the 2nd half of the season.

    Charles 1st hammered silver coins George III milled coins
    Charles 1st and James II milled coins James 1st hammered gold and silver
    Henry 1st to King John hammered silver coins Henry III short and long cross hammered silver coins
    17thC copper tokens Keys and locks all periods
    Small Victorian milled silver coins - 1pence to 12 pence Bells and whistles
    Bronze Age axes and chisels Sword, mace finds and fittings all periods
    Trade weights - bullion cup weights all periods Coin weights all periods
    Medallions and badges Celtic clothing fasteners
    Bronze Age gold finds Navy buttons
    Toy cannons Cannon balls

     

    23rd April 2023 - Last team of the season leaves

    I have created a new 2023 April finds page to speed up load times 2023Aprilfinds. I have posted loads of great silver and relics to the new finds page and updated the gold total for the season on the gold page.

    What a totally weird season that just finished.

    This has been the hardest detecting conditions I ever have seen in 20 years as a club. Sept and Oct were as dry as a bone with a lot of fields baked like a total bastard. We are lucky to have so many sites to choose from as some farmers had ploughed and rolled and we could at least get our spade in the ground.
    Then March came and it was then the wettest on record. Even so all the members did us real proud and suffered through and made the best of it. The rain made the wheat crops shoot up very quickly, so a lot of the fields were too high to hunt at the end of the season. Even with this condition we finished the season with a very respectable 39 gold finds and some amazing relics like that last 12thC bronze mace below and the 1300 BC gold rings. The guys popped some amazingly rare Roman silvers and truly stunning Celtic golds.

    Huge thanks to all our members that continue to make these hunts a blast to run every year.

    I still have another weeks worth of finds to photograph yet and I will upload them onto the latest finds page shortly.

    Ill Tom and Fl Dan with their freebie club sweatshirts for their beauty gold finds

    1.81g, 20.1mm

     

    Picture from the field

    This coin is a mule with two dies series B&E

     

    Edward III (1351-61), Quarter-Noble, 1, fourth coinage, Pre-Treaty period, series B/E mule, mm. cross 1, edwar’ r[ ] angl’ z franc’ d hyber, royal arms on shield, pellet below, rev. + exaltabitvr in ghloria, annulet stops, floriate cross,, trefoil and lion in each angle, eight-arc double tressure

    Mint mark Cross 1

    Obv +EDWAR o R oANGL Z FRANC o D o hYB ER

    18thC George III milled gold qtr guinea

    0.79g, 15.1mm

    11.03g, 54.16mm L

    6.17g, 28.3mm L

    Interesting chunks of gold or brass ?

    Gold testing kit does not show 22,18, or 9 carat gold. However it reacts for base gold with high zinc content - White vinegar does not react as it should do on brass.

    Taking it to the museum for their views.

    1761-1780 18thC decorated silver clog fastener

    Hester Bateman

    First recorded English woman silversmith
    maker's mark in cursive

    London Assay office

    Rachel lost the solid gold watch on her land 50 years ago and it was a present from her Auntie. Nj Joe while searching her sheep pasture found it and then presented it back to her.

    Beauty 4thC Roman silver coin sent for ID

    A couple things made (and still make) this hard to pin down - but my best guess is below.
    -  1st; at least half of ALL the coins ever minted in or for Rome with an emperor's portrait have a legend which ends "... VS P F AVG, so that's not too much help. Of course the remainder of the legend never made it on the flan - but that resulted in highlighting the legend-break.
    - 2nd; there were 5, maybe 6, major late Roman emperors' siliquae who marked their siliquae with VOT / X / MVLT / XV in wreath for their reverse
    - 3rd, the mint mark is very close to completely obscured, it definitely ends in "S" - but so do almost all the mintmarks ever used on siliquae, the result: I had to include a bit of luck.
    With the combination of the reverse legend VOT / X /MVLT / XV (which is the only relatively uncommon bit I can point to with complete confidence) with the rest of what I can see, like taking the vague, difficult-to-describe distinctions of "style" into account, plus the legend break on the obverse turned out to be a major clue - very few emperors and types broke the legend ???? - VS P F AVG
    And the final "kicker" - the reverse is a re-used die of Arcadius' father / predecessor, Theodosius I - that vota celebration / dedication was his, not Arcadius'. Overall, it's scarce-to-rare.

    My best guess would be:
    Arcadius, 383-408 AD.
    AR siliqua, Mint of Milan, 397-402 AD.
    Obv: [ D N ARCADI ] -- VS P F AVG
    diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Arcadius right
    Rev: VOT / X / MVLT / XV in four lines within laurel wreath // [ MD P] S
    RIC X 1225; RSC 27C; SRCV 20973
    If, with cleaning and restoration it is found to be something other than what I described, please let me know - and send pictures.
    Mark

    Kiev style Knobbed Mace - c. 12th - 13th century

    This mace is of a form found across Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia. Known as the Kirpichnikov Type IV, it originated in Kievan metal foundries and was based on a local adaptation of the Khazar mace type shown above - the Kirpichnikov Type I. The four upper and four lower corners of the Type I’s cube have extended outwards forming smaller knobs giving the Type IV twelve knobs (four large and eight small). These maces were first produced, mostly in bronze, in Kiev and other southern Rus cities. Many existing Kievan bronze examples are highly decorated with rings, lines and dots. Bronze maces were first exported and later copied (in both bronze and iron) throughout much of Europe. Examples are known from the Baltics, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, the Western Balkans, Germany, Sweden and England.

    These maces are heavy and deadly and would be effective against not only against unarmoured or lightly armoured foes but against any armour of the time (c. 1100-1300). The Turkic peoples of this time usually wore lamellar armour of leather, horn, bronze or iron.

    This mace is 5.3 cm in diameter and 2.2 cm high. The hole is 17mm in diameter. It has 12 pyramidal knobs in three rows of four - four four-sided knobs and eight three-sided knobs (half knobs). It is hollow cast and is roughly 3mm thick at the edges. The knobs are solid. It is 0.235 kg ).

    Monster sized chuck of worked bronze - Traces of iron in the hole

    There is another reference to a knobbed mace found in Hungary below

    Small Hungarian Knobbed Mace - c. 12th-13th century

    This small mace head comes from Hungary or its environs. I have found no exact parallel to this style although it is obviously a variation of the Kievan style of knobbed mace head seen above. The bronze construction and high quality imply that it could be an import from the Kiev area.

    This small mace is 6cm in diameter and 2.9cm high. The hole is 2.6cm in diameter. It has 12 pyramidal knobs in two rows of six. It is hollow cast and is roughly 3mm thick at the edges. The knobs are not hollow. It is only 0.16kg (0.35 lbs). It is made of bronze.

    Massive medieval iron key

    19thC gold tooth plate

    0.6g, 19.1 mm

     

    1st April 2023 - More great finds and disclaimed hoards

    I have uploaded a huge number of more great finds to the latest finds page 2023 March finds page.

     

    I picked up the first part of our disclaimed Saxon silver sceat hoard from the museum last week and have applied for all the export licenses. I also picked up 3 of our disclaimed Celtic gold hoard addendum coins, the guys will now get to take their ponies home after export approval.

    I have also been granted access to record our finds and locations directly onto the PAS database, this will enable me to record a lot more important discoveries quickly. I have to complete a training course in May before I can start entering finds.

    I have another meeting planned with the museum next week to pick up more disclaimed treasures and drop off the latest finds to start the treasure process.

    Updated the saltest gold finds to our gold finds all page.

     

    Ron hands Fl Paul his freebie club sweatshirt

    1.35g, 11.49mm

    8-13 AD Celtic gold Cunobelin qtr stater- Bigga type- reported to museum

    2nd Roman silver coin - sent for ID


    Your boys (and girls?) are finding some pretty impressive early denarii - this is the "Gaius & Lucius denarius" ofr Augustus.
    You see very little of the legend detail here - perhaps it will be clearer when/if this piece gets a bit of conservation work.
    Here's a photo of what a more clear specimen would look like:


    As you can see, this coin is a virtual mine of long, detailed legends - this type tended to be struck on flans not quite large enough, often struck a bit off-center, so to find one with complete, legible legends obverse and reverse is pretty unusual.
    I can't tell how much of yours may eventually be revealed as legible.

    "AUGUSTUS. 27 BC-14 AD. AR Denarius, Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 2 BC-4 AD. Laureate head right / Gaius and Lucius standing, facing; shield and spears between them; simpulum and lituus above. RIC I 207; RSC 43
    This type commemorates Gaius and Lucius Caesars, the grandsons of Augustus by Marcus Agrippa, as heirs to the imperial throne. Gaius became Princeps Iuventutis in 5 BC and Lucius in 2 BC. Their respective deaths in 4 AD and 2 AD were later attributed to Augustus' wife, Livia, to secure the throne for her son, the future emperor, Tiberius."
    ML

     

    Gold wrist Torc fragment ? reported as treasure to museum

    8.1g, 35mm L x 4.9mm dia

    1stC BC to 1stC AD Celtic Woad cosmetic grinder - boat shaped

    The grinder was used to pulverise vegetable material such as woad in the preparation of dyes.

    These are also known as perfume or cosmetic grinders. During the Celtic period in Britain a biennial herb called Isatis Tinctoria; was cultivated for the blue dye that could be obtained from it when crushed. This plant is also known as woad. The dye would then be applied to the skin

    Gold casting waste - 2.94g, 16mm L

    1158 -1189 AD Henry II hammered silver penny ' Tealby' cross and crosslet type

    1485 - 1509 Henry VII hammered silver sovereign penny - DR by shield

    Bishop Sherwood

    1732 George II milled silver penny 1603 James 1st hammered silver half penny - Thistle mint mark - First coinage
    1707 Anne milled silver shilling - Edinburgh mint Papal States 1868 Pope Pius IX Silver 10 Soldi Coin

    1640's Civil war iron cannon ball

    1/2lb - 40mm dia - Robinet

     

    1850 Birmingham mint - 22 carat gold ring - star mark

     

    23 March 2023 New finds page and more beauty gold

    Fl Paul

    I have created a new 2023 Finds page to speed up load times. There has been more stonking gold finds and rare Roman silvers, check out the new page for all the recent finds 2023 March finds page. I have not picked up the gold yet to take proper pictures so I have posted the pictures guys sent me from the fields.

     

    15th March 2023 - Great age spread of gold finds

     

    Great start to 2023 with a monster pair of 1300 BC gold armlet rings found by Wash Tom. These suckers are two and a half times as heavy as our previous ones that are currently on display at Colchester museum. The construction is solid gold rings as opposed to the concave rings on the others. Oki Jim popped a pretty Roman gold earing that is marked 9 carat made in Italy LOL. Ch John made a rare discovery of a solid gold pretty Georgian buckle with flower and leaf design. Not as old as his mega rare Celtic silver Cunobelin 'flower' type unit classed as extremely rare in Chris Rudd's book. First Celtic gold coin find was a rarer 'Wadden Chase' full stater type beautifully centrally stuck horse found by Ny Jay. Next was a very crisp Cunobelin qtr stater off new land by a newbie hunter Tx Rob. Ct Terry then popped a beauty 17thC gold posy ring inscribed 'A true friends gift'. The museum are trying to find the date of it by the maker's mark.

    Check out our Celtic gold coin page for more info Celtic Gold

    I have a new 2023Feb finds page and uploaded more great finds including someone playing a silly joke with 2 mint modern Roman silver coin forgeries found.

    I had a meeting at the museum and finally picked up the first 11 of our 19 disclaimed Saxon silver sceat hoard coins and several disclaimed Celtic gold hoard addendum coins that I will report on the next update.

    Our previous armlet ring finds on display at Colchester museum

    Wash Tom

    Stunning pair of solid gold 1300 BC armlet rings - reported to museum as treasure

    16.42g - 16mm dia

     

    Roman gold Gold earing marked 9 carat gold Italy LOL

    4.06g, 51.56mm L

    Gold boys with their freebie Colchester club sweatshirt for their great finds

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

    1.424g, 11.04mm

    Linear type - Corn ear with central stalk- CA to L,MV to R

    Horse with ladder mane, branch above

    Classed as rare ABC2810

    5.47g,18.21mm

    50 BC Middle Whaddon Chase stater Celtic gold full stater Obv cross of 3 plain & 2 pellet lines with 2 opposed crescents b in centre
    Rev horse r ., above pellet in ring, pellet in wheel below
    Middle Whaddon Chase stater, VA 1491, BMC 343, ABC 2240. An extremely rare type, only 7 others known, very nice to see another one. This one seems to be from the same obverse die as 95.2630, same rev as CR 116, 2011, no. 32. Reverse similar to early staters of Addedomaros but an uninscribed type, much rarer.


    John Sills

    Ct Terry

    C17thC - reported as potential treasure

    'A true friends gift'

    No hallmark - marker mark ?EM

    2.87g, 17.53mm

    Georgian gold shoe buckle

    10 to 40 AD Cunobelin Celtic silver unit - needs a good 'cook' to remove crust

    Flower type - Classed as Extremely rare - Chris Rudd 54.78, VA 2049, ABC 2885

    22nd Feb 2023 Two new sites and forum comp total

    The new menu system has been updated again ready for the Feb 24th kick off in a couple of days, a new 2023 Feb page has been created ready for the new finds they make. I have still got to do a massive update to all the other page with this addition.

    All the export pouches have now been processed so the total count for post medieval coppers found so far this season is an impressive 2511. The free forum competition this year is to win a free weeks detecting trip and 80% of the guys entries have already been knocked out. Check out you entry to see if you are still in the running.

    Free forum competition page

     

     

    The local museum has now recruited a new Finds liaison Officer (FLO) and I had a meeting on Monday and picked up loads of disclaimed treasures and hoards.

    I have produced a laminated map of the new land I signed the contracts on last week, it is a go from the 24th Feb. I was also contacted by another landowner on Friday and I saw their land yesterday, only a 10 acre plot but worth a sniff as it is close to the Roman chariot track in Colchester.

    I have produced a new page of happy members pics going back 20 years, like a trip down memory lane.

     

    7th Feb 2022 - 20th year anniversary more New land - New pages/updates and exports

     

    While updating all the pages on our site I revised lots of old pages and noticed that we started the club in 2003 making this our 20 year anniversary as a club, amazing. Never in a million years would I have expected the level of mouth watering finds we have made over the years. Big thanks to all the Senior members to still be continuing to come here after such a long time.

    I have added more new individual pages to the site to reduce page sizes and add background history, check out the Finds Index page to view.

     

    I have updated all the history pages, Sutton Hoo, Beaker people etc, added our new King Charles III to the Kings and Queens page.

    I received an e-mail from a new landowner offering us a new site located to the west of Colchester in an area we have never searched. I went and had a meeting and looked at the fields on offer and it is a beautiful historical spot. We have completed the contracts so we can can start searching on the 24th Feb when the first team arrives. Several other adjacent farmers have voiced interest in us also searching their land so this should be very interesting. The members on the forum have already started researching the history of the area and it steeped in history.

     

    18th Jan 2022 New pages/updates and exports

    90% of this website has been updated with the new menu system that is now mobile friendly. Lots of the pages below have been updated with the latest finds and more history added. I have created a new page with all the busts, figurines and animals in one place. Lots more approved export licenses have been returned and the lists posted on the closed members form.

     

    New page - heads, figurines and animals Thimbles
    Gold Torc's Spurs and rowels
    Venetian soldino Saxon harness fittings
    Sword and dagger parts

    Roman terret rings
    Roman jewelry page S buckles
    Roman gold coins BC Roman silver coins
    AD Silver Roman coins Roman 1st/2nd C bronze coins
    Roman 3rd/4th C bronze coins Purse bars
    Pot legs/bucket mounts Pilgrim and religious relics
    Pipe and smoking equipment Harness pendants

    14th Dec 2022 More massive page updates and exports

    I have been adding the new menu system as I update individual finds pages below. I have also been adding more history and info onto each page as I go. Lots more export pouch applications have been posted on to the closed members forum as I process them. Any missed finds during the process have been posted to the bottom of the

    New 2022 Oct finds page.

    Vig Phil had a crusty Saxon silver sceat below in his pouch that I just got ID'd and recorded with the Fitzswilliam Museum EMC database.

    600 AD Saxon silver sceat - sent for recording and ID

    1.265g,11.53mm

    Thanks for this find, which I have recorded as EMC 2022.0447. The punched hole is unusual.

    This is Series C2. The attached adjusted images show the coin in its correct orientation, with a bust facing right and the standard on the reverse.

    Best regards,

    Martin

     

    Lead tokens all periods Key and lock page
    Stuart family tree Jettons
    Hammered gold coins Early milled silver coins - Charles II and James II
    James 1st gold and silver coins Henry VIII silver coins
    Scottish and Irish hammered silver coins Tudor timeline tree
    Henry VII hammered silver coins Henry VI hammered gold and silver coins
    Henry III hammered silver coins Early hammered silver coins
    Medieval harness pendants All gold finds
    George IV milled gold and silver coins George III milled gold and silver coins
    George 1st & II milled gold and silver coins Foreign hammered gold and silver coins
    Gold jewelry page 17thC hammered copper tokens and farthings
           

    19th Nov 2022 - Updates and exports

    I have archived a lot of this news page to speed up loading times, links for previous news pages at the bottom of this page.

    I am now processing all the export paperwork for pouches from the 1st half of the season and posting full find lists and pictures to the members forum. I have started to update the individual finds pages below with the latest coins and relic finds. As I update each page I am replacing the old menu system with the new mobile and tablet friendly version.

    I have updated the holiday availability page with the planned dates for the 2nd half of the season in all the hotel and Barn types.

    Tour availability page

     

    Silver buttons Buttons dress
    Livery buttons Celtic gold coins
    Saxon gold and silver coins Medallions and badges
    Medieval seals Post medieval seals
    Buckle page 1 Buckle page 2
    Medieval buckles Horse, hawk and crotal bells
    Bronze age axes and chisels Barrel spouts
    Stone Age finds Railway,Police, Fire and Corporation buttons

    1st Nov 2022 New top menu - more rare finds

    The top menu to this website is now working with mobiles and tablets properly after being reprogrammed. I have still not updated all the other pages on this site yet.

    The last hunt, before the first half of the season break, left last week and made more amazingly rare finds. The ground was still as dry as a bone right up until they left so they did unexpectedly well with no moisture or compression on the fields.

    Mo Dan found a copper coin I had never seen before and it turns out to be a mega rare Indian Peace medal, it is in great shape and his research shows there are only 13 known. Ark Jeff popped an early BC Roman silver which again turned out to be a mega rare coin. Mark Lehman's write and ID below is fascinating. Id Mike managed to find two of the gold coins below in his weeks hunt, the 50 BC Added Celtic gold stater and the very crisp Victorian gold guinea. Boston Heidi managed to find our first Celtic gold coin on new site we just started hot spotting, a 50BC Clacton type 1/4 stater.

    I have posted a whole bunch of old relics and silver coins to the latest finds page and have loads more finds from last week to post yet.

    2022 Oct Finds Page

     

    Medal Great Britain George II Indian Peace 1757

    Obverse with laureate armored bust left, GEORGIVS II DG MAG BR FR ET HIB REX around. Reverse with Native American hunting scene in forest, deer running with archer's arrow in mid-air.

    This is an amazing discovery - Original medal (13 known)

    'Wow! Search under peace medal. It is one of the earliest made for Indian trade in America.' Dan



    https://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins.pl?coin=16774

    Stunning BC Roman silver coin sent for ID - mega rare ID

    Roman Republican/Imperatorial AR denarius
    by: Q. Cornuficius, Imperator, 43-42 BCE, killed in battle, 42 BCE
    Struck in: Utica(?), spring-summer 42 BCE
    Obverse: Head of Ceres left, hair wreathed in grain-ears
    Reverse: Q CORNV – FICI – [AVGVR IMP]
    Cornuficius, in priestly attire, standing facing, Juno Sospita crowning Cornuficius with wreath
    standing left holding spear and shield, crow on shoulder RRC 509/5; CRI 231; BMCRR, Africa 27; Babelon/RSC Cornuficia 3
    Sear, David,
    SRCV, Millennium Edition, vol. 1 (pub. AD 2000), p 278, #1453

    Chris – This is a legitimately RARE piece and historically important, etc.

    Rare coins have increased enormously in retail value since 2000, however a higher grade would have increased more than a visibly worn (if still attractive) piece like this.
    Frankly, I have no idea what this would sell for now. I’ve never cataloged one of these before.

     

    If I had a $ for every common coin I’ve heard touted as “rare”, “extremely rare” etc, I think I could afford to buy this denarius – it’s really rare and sought-after.

    Mark Lehman

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

    5.36g, 19mm

    Great relic find - Templar badge still in the mould

    Previous trimmed versions

    Medieval badges Ref Mitchiner p244 939 - 941

     

    'A badge for a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in bronze and dating somewhere around C13/14th possibly very slightly later . This is a very scarce item and it relates to The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem being a Catholic chivalric order of Knighthood that traces its roots to Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade. According to reliable sources in the Vatican and Jerusalem, it began in historical reality as a mixed clerical and lay confraternity (association) of pilgrims which gradually grew around the most central of the Christian holy places in the Middle East, the Holy Sepulchre or the tomb of Jesus Christ.This would have been a pin for a member of the order , there is a mark on the reverse where the original pin would have been fixed '

     

    Heidi with her 2nd pony

     

    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

    1.34g,15.1mm

    Id Mike's double gold finds

    50 BC Addedomarus Celtic gold stater - reported to museum

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

    5.52g,16.65mm

    1885 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

    3.99g,19.2mm

     

    20thC gold denture plate and single tooth

     

    Medieval heraldic shield pendant

    John de Warenne (June 1286 - June 1347), 7th Earl of Surrey, was the last Warenne earl of Surrey.

     

    Small 850 BC Bronze Age axe

    British Celtic 'Pierced Bulb' Toggle Fastener

    Circa 1st century BC-1st century AD. A cast fitting in the form of a pierced bulb with medial indent extending to a thick, round-section discoid terminal. Such fittings were used as toggles to fasten garments, passing through a slit or loop. Reference: cf. looped variants in Murawski, P. Benet's Artefacts of England and the United Kingdom

    Early medieval Class A Type 2

    Circular

    Gilded silver ring - no hall marks - museum feedback is it is 16thC - now reported as treasure

     

     

    12th Oct 2022 Messed up the web site top menu - More great finds - New finds page

    I have managed to completely mess up the web site menu on these 'Latest news and finds pages', the rest of the site top menu is OK as I have not updated those pages. I have a web designer working on fixing them.

    Meanwhile we continue to get no rain and the ground is completely dry. However it has not stopped the guys making amazing discoveries with more beauty Celtic, milled and hammered gold finds.

    I have created a new 2022 Oct finds page to speed up load times, tons of great coins and finds posted onto it.

    2022 Oct Finds Page

    First ever true gold nugget found, all the rest have been gold ingots

    Gold nugget

    0.302g, 10mm L

     

     

    Gold boys

    50 BC Gallo Belgic Celtic gold stater - reported to museum

    6.11g,18.0 mm

    Ancient 1st to 2nd C gold foil necklace

     

    Gold bead - no idea of date yet - sent to museum for their views

    1.1g,10mm L

    1797 George III milled gold third guinea

    2.72g, 16.3mm

    Fresh pictures from the field, interesting gold ring

     

    Stunning Saxon pin - However the PAS database shows it as both Saxon and Roman and my Roman books ID it as Roman ??

    A copper alloy Early Medieval polyhedral pin of Anglo-Saxon association dating from AD 700 - 870. It has a polyhedral head in the form of a cuboid with the corners faceted creating 13 faces. The top facet is decorated. The four main faces are decorated with a ring and dot motif, as are each of the four smaller faces below and four smaller faces above the main faces. The lower part is extended and tapers to a very small collar and then the tapering pointed pin shaft. The end of the pin is missing, but this Cf. PAS database records: FAKL-1AAFBB and SWYOR-31E63.

    11,000 BC flint axe head

    A deep circular hollow in the back of the head is for the attachment of a handle and the break at the neck is where the head would have been soldered to the side of the vessel
    The mount represents the laver's greatest point of weakness and thus its most vulnerable point of weakness. A complete laver with female head mounts is in the collections of the British Museum (Cat No MME 1956, 7-2,1) '

    Medieval bronze vessel handle mount

    1604-5 James 1st hammered gold Britain crown - Lis mint mark

    2.43g, 20.85mm

    1st to 4th C Roman key

    Saxon animal headed implement - possible small knife handle

    Classic black enamel inlay

    Religious figurine - researching it

    Krishna as the Divine Child on a Banyan Leaf ?

    https://www.sahapedia.org/krishna-divine-child-banyan-leaf-vatapatrasayi

    30th Sept 2022 - Crap conditions continue but more great finds

     

     

    Medieval Papal Bullae. A lead Papal Bullae of Pope

    This bulla has the name of Pope Clement III 1187 -1191 AD

    Obverse shows the heads of the apostles Peter and Paul, the founders of the Church of Rome with SPASPE (Sanctus PAulus and Sanctus PEtrus) above

    Rev CLE/MENS/PP. III

    http://historymedren.about.com/library/who/blwwpopelist.htm

    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

    The reverse (verso) of the bulla shows the name of the Pope, which is written in the nominative, with his abbreviated title. It reads 'CLE / MENS / PP • III' within a beaded border. The 'PP' has an 'Ω' above.

    Mass Rob with his freebie club sweatshirt and mug for his honking gold find

     

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

    5.5g, 17.97mm

    No rain other than the odd shower have made the land as dry as a bone. The farmers are still managing to plough and roll new fields so we have lots of land to search but we are getting no depth. Mass Rob however popped our first Celtic gold from a brand new site and a neat gold nugget was also found on another new site. Can Bill searching one of our oldest sites near a medieval Abbey found the very early mint 12th C Papal badge. He also got the little and large medieval hammered silvers during his trip and I posted a comparison picture below.

    I have uploaded loads more relics and coins to the latest finds page, I still have a weeks finds to post yet to that page.

    New 2022 Sept finds page

     

    Ancient gold nugget - reported as treasure to museum

    0.61g, 7.70 mm L

    Fascinating gold find - what looked initially like a Georgian bezel when blown up looks a lot earlier in date - sent to museum for their views

    1.2g, 20.82mm

     

    1422-27 AD Henry VI hammered silver Groat ( 4 pence) -Inital mark incurved pierced cross

    Annulet issue - Annulets by the neck and two sets of opposing pellets on reverse

    obv hENRIC DI GRA REX ANGLIE Z FRANCE

    Rev VIL/LAx/CALI/SIEx/ - Calais mint

    1300-10 Edward II hammered silver farthing- new issue with inner circles both sides - oval flan - Type 28f

    Obv +EDWA****EX AN

    Rev CIVI/TASLON/DON - London mint

    Size comparison - medieval groat and farthing

    Malta. Knights of St. John. Emmanuel de Rohan (1775-1797) 1 Grano 1778.

     

    The House of Rohan (Breton: Roc'han) is a Breton family of viscounts, later dukes and princes in the French nobility, coming from the locality of Rohan in Brittany.

    Circa 1710. Queen Anne. Rev. FVNDAMENTVM QVIETIS NOSTRAE. ECCLES. ANGL. Brass 26mm. by Lazarus G. Lauffer Nuremburg.

    FVNDAMENTVM QVIETIS NOSTRAE. ECCLES. ANGL means The Church of England is the basis (or foundation) of our Peace. These were early propaganda tokens/jetons stressing that the protestant church was the way to maintain peace in Great Britain. Both Queen Anne & King George faced threats from legitimate claimants to the throne. These were Catholic and supported by french funds and sometimes french troops and had tremendous support in Scotland and Ireland plus some support from catholic families even in England.

     

    15th Sept 2022 - Crap conditions but what a great start

    Dave, Tim and Ron

    It is the worse September land conditions I have seen for 20 years being so dry and rock hard. However, luckily some of our landowners have managed to plough and roll a number of their fields so we can at least get our shovels in the ground. Most of our sites have at least a couple of fields ready although some they have worked you would need a chisel to get below 3 inches. The members are making the best of it and finding some stonking coins and relics where they can.

    Boston 'FOTY' Dave winner last year is walking around with a horse shoe up his arse. He not only found our first ever Henry VI hammered gold full noble then the next day popped a beauty Victoria milled gold half sovereign.

    Minnesota Mindy continued her reign of terror on the land and popped her 14th gold coin, a mint Cunobelin Celtic qtr gold stater. Saxon sceats have been appearing from both old and new land.

    I have created a new Sept 2022 finds page and uploaded loads more relics and coins to it.

    New 2022 Sept finds page

    Henry VI (First reign, 1422-1461), Annulet issue, Noble, London, mm. lis on rev. only, annulet by wrist

    Medieval hammered gold noble

    6.999g,32.91mm

    Gold noble - annulet issue - trefoil stops

    Obv hENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC DNS *hYB

    Rev PERo MEDIVM o ILLORV o IBAT + *** BAAo

    1865 Victoria milled gold half sovereign

    3.9g,19.3mm

    10-40 AD Cunobelin Celtic gold qtr stater - sent to museum for recording

    1.3g,11.12mm

     

    600 AD Saxon silver sceat - sent for recording and ID to the Early medieval corpus

    1.025g,9.94mm

    Many thanks for this new find, which I have recorded as EMC 2022.0295. This is Series D (Type 2c).

    All the best,

    Martin

    600 AD Saxon silver sceat - sent for recording and ID to the Early medieval corpus

    1.095g,12.13mm

    600 AD Saxon silver sceat - sent for recording and ID to the Early medieval corpus

    1.104g, 11.1mm

    Roman silver coin - sent for ID

    Julius Caesar AR Denarius. Uncertain mint, 46 BC. Head of Ceres to right, wearing grain ear wreath; COS•TERT downwards behind, DICT•ITER upwards before / Emblems of the augurate and pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, capis, and lituus; D to right, AVGVR above, PONT•MAX below. Crawford 467/1a; CRI 57; Sydenham 1023; RBW 1637; RSC 4a

    Culullus, aspergillum, jug and lituus, in outer field right, D and below, PONT MAX (Crawford 467/1a / Sydenham 1023 / FFC 3) Splendid & desirable denarius of Julius Caesar by whom it was struck to pay his veterans: the 'D' on the back stands for donativum = extra donation to soldiers often paid from war booty. The legend on the obverse of this denarius honors the functions Julius Caesar held in the year of his victory over the Pompeian forces. His titles on the obverse are functional: consul for the third time and dictator for the second time, while the image on the reverse is strictly religious and refers to his previous status as one of the augurs and as pontifex maximus. The image of Ceres on the obverse may refer to the greater certainty about the Roman supply of grain that must have arisen after the defeat of the Pompeiians at the Battle of Thapsus (April 6, 46 BC) in North Africa.

    Nice find!
    Mark

    East India Company
    2 Fanam 1764-1807

    Double C monogram

    0.84g,7.66mm

    c8thC Saxon hooked fastener used on their leg bindings

     

    17th August 2022 - FOTY winner - Lots of disclaimed treasures and hoards

    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

    The members voted for their favourite 'Find of the Year' and for the first time a non British find won, 2nd was the diamond Roman fibular brooch and in 3rd place my personal favourite, the 800 BC bronze sickle. It is the mega rare USA coin above that obviously the members really wanted.

    I have finally finished all the latest export applications for finds from the 2nd half of the season. It is a long old process as every single find has to be photographed, numbered with detailed description. The new electronic version of application process is so much easier and approved exports come back quite quickly in most cases. Members now get a PDF copy of both of the documents sent to them by e-mail as the application is made.

    I have also been receiving a lot of disclaimed treasures and hoard notifications from the British Museum which is great for the guys. I can preempt their pick up from the museum by sending off an export license application to speed up the process. The two gold Cunobelin Celtic qtr staters below were found very close together on a new field so with a replough this coming Sept it could produce more from that area. Other Celtic golds below, from hoard addendum's, have also been disclaimed and even the 600AD Saxon silver sceat hoard is coming back to the German team. So far we have found 19 of the beauty little silver suckers.

    It is just two weeks to the kick off for the start of the season, ground is as dry as a bone but we have just had a couple of days of light rain. Hopefully we can have some heavy shows or the guys will be chiseling the finds out of the ground !!!

    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

     

    Dear Mr Brookes,

    Treasure Act 1996: 2022 T104 Iron Age gold quarter-staters from ***, Essex

    Finders: Dean & Scott

    On behalf of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I am writing to inform you that the Crown’s interest in this find has been disclaimed.

    As anticipated by the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (paragraph 48), it will not normally be necessary in these circumstances to proceed with an inquest. I therefore enclose a copy of the Treasure Receipt for this find, and a copy of the curator’s report, to complete your file. I confirm that the find is currently in the care of Carolina Lima, Finds Liaison Officer for Essex.

    Please could you contact the owner of the find site, stating that the find is to be returned to the finder, unless objections are submitted within 28 days of your letter, in line with paragraphs 48-51 from the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (revised). I would be grateful if you could inform Carolina Lima and me at the conclusion of the notice period as to whether or not the find may be released to the finder.

    The finder is reminded to keep a copy of this letter with the find, and to advise any purchaser of the find to do the same, as it constitutes formal evidence that the find has been considered under the Treasure Act 1996.


    Yours sincerely,




    Daria Kwarta
    Treasure Registrar
    The British Museum

    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 - now disclaimed

    1.41g,13.88mm

    Iron Age Gold Quarter Stater
    PAS Database number: ESS-3D1E96
    Date/Period: Iron Age
    Finder: Jonathan
    Date of Discovery: 22.10.2019
    Circumstances of discovery: Metal-detecting with permission whilst on an organised metal-detecting holiday
    Description: An Eastern British (North Thames / Trinovantes) Iron Age uninscribed gold quarter stater of the ‘Clacton Cross’ type dating to c. 80-50 BC (ABC p. 120, no. 2356). The coin has similar counterparts on the database: CAM-19EFAE, BM-E4ECD6 and FASAM-8E4892.
    Obverse: traces of ‘three men in a boat’ design
    Reverse: cross of double lines, pellets in angles
    Dimensions: Diameter: 13.43mm; Weight: 1.40g
    Discussion: Declared by the find depositor as a possible addendum to 2005 T146 (IARCH-81EBCF), the ‘East of Colchester’ coin hoard and subsequent addenda found from 2005 onwards (see PAS IARCH-81EBCF and de Jersey 2015 no. 61 for details). This hoard encompasses many batches of Iron Age coins reported as addenda to this find since then, some of which are spread over a considerable area.
    However, the findspot for this coin has only been provided as a 6-figure NGR and even given the fact that this is only accurate to 100m, the coin is still peripheral to the main area of distribution of those finds. Given that it is also of a type not represented in the original find or its addenda it may be an unrelated single find.
    Conclusion: As the available information relating to the discovery of this single gold coin does not suggest that it is of the same find as one or more coins likely to have been deposited at the same time or place, it cannot be considered Treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act 1996.
    Authors:
    Report by: Lisa Pitt-Jones, Essex FLA
    Checked by: Carolina Lima, Essex FLO.
    Revised by Dr. Eleanor Ghey, The British Museum 23.3.22
    References:
    Iron Age Coins in Britain: https://iacb.arch.ox.ac.uk/id/abc.2356
    ABC = Cottam, E. et al. 2010, Ancient British Coins (Aylsham)

     

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

    5.52g, 18.37mm

    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.

     

     

    Dear Mr Brookes,

    Treasure Act 1996: 2022 T102 Iron Age gold staters (2) from Little ***, Essex

    Finder: Phil, Mitch

    On behalf of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I am writing to inform you that the Crown’s interest in this find has been disclaimed.

    As anticipated by the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (paragraph 48), it will not normally be necessary in these circumstances to proceed with an inquest. I therefore enclose a copy of the Treasure Receipt for this find, and a copy of the curator’s report, to complete your file. I confirm that the find is currently in the care of Lisa Pitt-Jones, Finds Liaison Assistant for Essex.

    Please could you contact the owner of the find site, stating that the find is to be returned to the finder, unless objections are submitted within 28 days of your letter, in line with paragraphs 48-51 from the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (revised). I would be grateful if you could inform Lisa Piitt-Jones and me at the conclusion of the notice period as to whether or not the find may be released to the finder.

    The finder is reminded to keep a copy of this letter with the find, and to advise any purchaser of the find to do the same, as it constitutes formal evidence that the find has been considered under the Treasure Act 1996.


    Yours sincerely,

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

    Dear Mr Brookes,

    Treasure Act 1996: 2020 T1030 Early Medieval coin hoard (5) from Beaumont, Essex

    Finder: Wolfgang, Andreas, Maximilian , Thomas

    On behalf of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I am writing to inform you that the Crown’s interest in this find has been disclaimed.

    As anticipated by the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (paragraph 48), it will not normally be necessary in these circumstances to proceed with an inquest.  I therefore enclose a copy of the Treasure Receipt for this find, and a copy of the curator’s report, to complete your file.  I confirm that the find is currently in the care of Lisa Pitt-Jones, Finds Liaison Assistant for Essex.

    Please could you contact the owner of the find site, stating that the find is to be returned to the finder, unless objections are submitted within 28 days of your letter, in line with paragraphs 48-51 from the Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (revised).  I would be grateful if you could inform Lisa Pitt-Jones and me at the conclusion of the notice period as to whether or not the find may be released to the finder.

    The finder is reminded to keep a copy of this letter with the find, and to advise any purchaser of the find to do the same, as it constitutes formal evidence that the find has been considered under the Treasure Act 1996.

     

    Yours sincerely,

     

    Daria Kwarta
    Treasure Registrar

    6th July 2022 - More exports and treasures

     

    I am still busy compiling all the export applications for the guys finds 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 the 2nd half of the seasons finds, links below.

    I have now received back all the approved export applications for the disclaimed treasures and hoard coins I picked up from the museum. Individual finders have been e-mailed.

    Book clasps Navy buttons
    Pot legs, mounts and handles Henry VII hammered silver coins
    17thC tokens Bronze Age
    18thC tokens Henry VIII hammered silver coins
    Venetian hammered silver soldino Stone Age

    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'





    Treasure Case: 2018 T901
    Gold Ingot from LB

    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 Coins - P. CLODIUS M.F. TURRINUS :  AR Denarius : Diana with Bow, Quiver and Torch

    Ancient silver coin

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

    Ox: Laureate head of Apollo right;   lyre behind
    Rx: P.CLODIVS·M·F· Diana standing facing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, holding lighted torch in each hand

    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"

     

    Issuer Dutch Republic (Netherlands)
    Type Standard circulation coin
    Years 1683-1691
    Value 6 Stuiver (0.3)

    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 - more land

    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 lastest 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

    Hoard coin - 19

    1.44g,12mm

    Reported as hoard addendum coin to museum

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

     

     

    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 2020 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 2020 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

     

     

     

    More news pages

    April 2018 April 2020

    Jan 2015 to April 2018

    Oct 2013 to Jan 2015

    Feb 2013 to Oct 2013

    Sept 2012 to Jan 2013

    March 2012 to Sept 2012

    Sept 2011 to March 2012

    Feb 2011 to Aug 2011

    Sept 2010 to Jan 2011

    May 2010 - Sept 2010

    March 2010 - May 2010

    Oct 2009 to Feb 2010

    July 2009 to Oct 2009

    March 2009 to July 2009

    Feb 2009 to March 2009

    Nov 2008 to Feb 2009

    Sept 2008 to Nov 2008

    Brad's gold medieval gold statue

    June 2008 to Sept 2008

    March 2008 to June 2008

    Oct 2007 to March2008

    Sept 1st 2007 to Oct 2007

    English Saxon gold coin found

    NEWS June 2007 to Sept 2007

    NEWS March 2007 to June2007

    Double Cunobelin Celtic gold

    NEWS March 2007 to April2007

    Chicago Reid's Roman gold ring

    NS Andy's Saxon strap end

    NEWS Nov 2006 to March 2007

    NEWS Sept 2006 to Nov 2006

    Medieval Iconic gold ring find

    NEWS May 2006 to Sept 2006

    First Celtic gold of the season

    NEWS March to May 2006

    Celtic Woad cosmetic grinder and Jeff Roman Pecker find

    NEWS Oct 2005 to March 2006

    Viking silver strap end- Rare Roman silver coin finds

    NEWS Sept 2005 to Oct 2005

    Great Saxon silver finds Offa Rex - Coenwulf - Hammered gold

    NEWS March 2005 toSept 2005

    Villa Dig - Roman gold - Celtic gold hoard found

    NEWS Sept 2004 to March 2005

    Can Majos and Mass Bills gold rings - Texas Dave's hammered gold

    NEWS March 2004 to Sept 2004

    Roman gold coin - Mass Bruce's axe hoard

    NEWS Jan 2004 to March 2004

    2000BC Axe - Boston Buds Saxon gold

    More Archived News Pre 2004

    michelle@colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk