Metal detecting holidays in England

with the Worlds most successful metal detecting club

Twinned with Midwest Historical Research Society USA

News page April 2007 to June 2007

4th June 2007 More unpublished finds and ID's

More info from Tim on the button posted on the 30th.

'15th Debyshire Rifle Volunteers . . .
Raised - 1860 to 1887 when it was renamed the 1st Vol' Batt'n Sherwood Foresters'.

Updated the following pages:

Weights trade

Military buttons named regs

 

C1550 - 1650 buckle
WWII pressed copper 7th/11th Lancers hat badge
1603 AD Norwich Series James 1st 1.74oz lead trade weight - shield M mark

The Northamptonshire Regiment

1888-1889
Smith & Wright Ltd

Neat dress button
20thC Large and small Great Western Railways buttons
17th C flower decorated button
1920 Irish Army button
C1550 - 1650 buckle
Post Georgian buckle
1327 Edward III hammered silver penny - York mint
1625 Charles 1st hammered silver penny

 

30th May 2007 More unpublished finds

More unpublished finds out of the export pouches.

Updated the following pages

Clothing fasteners

Coin weights

Military buttons named regs

 

Circa 16th to 17th century

Copper-alloy stud or tack; circular, flat; pointed shank. Decoration: a central flower

16thC

Asymmetrical, flat mount with two integral pointed lugs

Medieval mount fragment with single rivet fixing and gilding remaining
Georgian watch winder with No 9 - Regimental issue ?
C 1400 - 1550 AD Double loop annular buckle
Facinating find - 1603 AD James 1st coin weight clearly marked crown XIs for gold Angel cpin ( 4.6g) but weight the same as as a James 1st Spur Ryal 6.85g - some one was attemping fraud
17thC clothing fastener

Late Iron Age/ early Roman bronze strap divider (terret)

10.18g, 24.65mm outer dia x 4.54 mm T

 

Terrets were used in paired draught to guide the reins from the horse’s mouths to the hands of the driver. In total, five terrets form a complete set. All five were placed along the yoke, with the central terret being larger than the other four. Probably first century AD.

16th/ 17thC clothing fastener with Tudor rose design

'15th Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers . . .
Raised - 1860 to 1887 when it was renamed the 1st Vol' Batt'n Sherwood Foresters

Unknown maker

W.Fernet Noogth

Derby

Pre 1947 The Kings (Shropshire Light infantry)

Livery button

1871-1873
Reynolds & Co
50 St Martins Lane London

?
Georgian pasty jigger wheel
16th/17thC

Asymmetrical, flat mount with two integral pointed lugs

17th/18thC mount with two integral pointed lugs
17thC bronze button
Late 16th/17thC button

 

29th May 2007 Updates around the site - Final valuations in - more unpublished finds

The guys have received their final valuation acceptance letters for their treasures so payment will be made shortly, more details posted on the members forum.

Huge up dates on a lot of the pages on the site including the foreign milled and hammered coin pages. Swedish Yngve has up dated a load of ID's to the European coins.

Foreign milled coins
Foreign Hammered coins

Royal Horse Artillery

1888-1889
Smith & Wright Ltd
180 Brearley Street, Birmingham

Royal Artillery

1822-1828
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand

Unlisted military button

Backmark

Churo

Possibly foreign POW

Royal Marines

Early 20thC

Smith & Wright Ltd
Birmingham

George 1st 'Plumbers Company 'lead trade weight - Crowned G , a sword and the Plumbers mark in a circle 2oz *Note the G I bottom left indicating George 1st
Algerian coin,
1/4 Budju (or 6 Mazuna) 1820-1830. The right side is a very good copy with
proper arabian writing, but the left makes no sense at all. On the real coin this
side would give the year (AH1236-1246) and the mint.
Medieval bronze pot foot
15thC King with sword and shield in ship - Gold Ryal 3.30g

15thC

Gold Angel coin weight

Medieval unpublished coin weight Quatrefoil with shields 3.18g
18thC sword hanger buckle
Medieval bronze ring with 2 missing stones

 

 

25th May 2007 2 new pages added

I have added all the info I can find so far on our POW site to a new page that has produced all these amazing button finds. I was not aware how large the local airforce base was and how some of the top USA aces flew from there during WWII. POW site page. There is only an occasional reference to WWI POW's which appear to have been housed at the same location as the later airforce base.

 

I have also added another page on the Hoxne Hoard, Suffolk farmer Eric Lawes discovered this hoard, while using a metal detector to look for a lost hammer.

 

24th May 2007 More ID's and unpublished finds

Thanks to the guys at the ARF is ID'ing yesterdays bullets., first one is Enfield .577 cal and the second most likely for a .44 cal pistol Try out this great bullet database they posted where you can enter size, shape etc to find the ID.

Robert from Poland has sent me an ID on the 10th Company German button and I just found a 12th Company in Chicago Ron's finds pouch ! More regiments being held prisoner on our POW site.

'Your button is German button between I and II World War. This number "10" means 10th company. In most european country number from buttons means number of regiment. German's regiment had theirs numbers on badgets'.

 

 

Mid 19thC

Firmin & Sons
London

19th Livery button

no back mark

WWI - II German 10th Company

London Midland and Scottish Railway Company

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd

1929 George V shilling
1826 George IV shilling
1858 Victoria sixpence
18thC clog fastener

Livery button

Unknown maker

Oldham Lombard St London

Corporation button ?

'In Deo Spes'

In God is my hope

1876-1894
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

William III trade weight - Crown W and London hall mark
19th/20th C Wright and Butler trade token
18thC Bayonet frog
Medieval decorated strap end - 2 rivet fixing - Bronze sheet on iron - 23.05 mm L x 16.67 mm L Decoration appears to be a man standing
20thC Eley Bros of London 12 pence token
20th C JJ Bedwell of Colchester token

Roman bronze writing stylus - rounded end decorated

40.29mm L, 4.89mm dia

 

 

23rd May 2007 Buttons and more unpublished finds

Just got a great e-mail in from a button collector in Poland that loves the buttons we find. He has a great site with a huge collection from around the world and it is well worth a visit . www.guziki.radwan.pl .Guziki in the polish language means buttons. Chicago Joe just sent me a great testimonial of his Barn House stay which I posted on the testimonial page. Still beavering away on the exports but progress is slower this year as there are just so many great buttons to clean up and post. Buttons are a great relic as they are so diverse and you can ID and date them fairly exactly. A couple of the livery buttons below have unlisted manufacturer's. Musket balls are a common find but later lead bullets are a lot rarer find so I have sent two off to ARH forum to see if they can ID them.

George III trade weight 6.24g - London hall mark

Bullet sent to ARF for ID

34.52g, 14.64mm dia 26.85mm L

Two ring bullet sent to ARF for ID

14.21g,11.78 dia, 16.94mm L

Hull Police

Early 20thC Firmin and Son Ltd London

17th Lead trade token with initials IK - bird eating fish motif
Georgian watch winder with Prince of Wales feather design
CANADA
Canadian Pacific SS Line
In use 1901 - 1930's
Early Version
Maker - Unknown
1800 George III 1/2 guinea gambling token
MN - Anchor Line
In use 1900 - 1960s
Maker - Waterbury
RN Capt / Commander - 1843
RN Lietenant - 1843
RN Master - 1843
RN Surgeon - 1843
RN Purser - 1843
RN Midshipman - 1843
RN Warrant Officer - 1843
Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

Livery button with unlisted manufacturer

B.Warwick - Regents Street

Livery button

Livery button with unlisted manufacturer

Oakshette & Co

15 Mill St

Conduit St London

(same street as Firmin & Sons)

 

 


22nd May 2007 Added new Sutton Hoo page

I am currently reading an amazing 'Treasures of Sutton Hoo' book by Robert Hale written in the 1970's. The discoveries made are truly astounding so I have added a quick overview and pictures of some of the finds on a new page Sutton Hoo. Sutton Hoo is around 25 miles NE of here and the gold coins found there are interestingly the same Merovingian gold tremissis as we have found here. Another existing page has the Gold Torcs found.

21st May 2007 More unpublished finds

19thC token - S.Lessy Yarmouth, Grocer and Tea Dealer
16thC Hans Schvltes Nuremberg Jetton
The Great Eastern Railway button

1888-1889
Royal Army Medical Corp

Smith & Wright Ltd - Birmingham

Royal Horse Artillery
Generic Issue


Officer & O/R's - 1873-1901

Warrington Corporation Tramways
5th Dragoon guards - one piece button
Royal Engineer Department

In use by 1881

Smith & Wright - Birmingham

1795 Pattern Royal Artillery

Royal Air Force

Special quality

 

19th May 2007 - This years free forum competition - free weeks Holiday

I have just got back Dale VA's export license for his gold prize for winning this years forum competition so it will be on it's way to him Monday . Next seasons prize is going to be a biggy and your chance to win a free weeks fully inclusive full board holiday, you just have to get here. The competition is to guess the number of hammered silver coins that will be found from Sept 2007 to April 2008. Guesses must include a date and time to be valid as guys will guess the same number. Check out the forum comp page for those eligible to enter and for more info.

18th May 2007 - More unpublished finds, ID's and updates

More info from Tim on that earlier Austro Hungarian Navy - Pre-WWI looking button.

'Further research on this button reveals this button appears to be relate the French 2nd Empire. My sample is of French Maritime Customs. Note the similarity'.

Tim

 

 

 

 

1369-1377 Edward III hammered silver penny - Post treaty period York mint type 2

Obv EDWARD REX ANGL F FR(ANC)

Rev Quatrefoil with pellet in centre of reverse - annulet stops

Medieval Venetian hammered silver 1/2 Soldino - worn
Prussian NCO Imperial Eagle WWI one piece button

RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825


Note: Anchors below stock

WWII German Navy Kriegsmarine Button
15thC lead token

 

17th May 2007 - More updates, unpublished finds and ID's

1795 George III 1/2 gold guinea gaming token made into a pendant

IMCO

James 1st/2nd trade weight - Crown I mark and London mint mark - 5.41g, 21.42 dia
Mid 17thC John Girling of Lavenham Essex hammered copper trade farthing - undated type

I have spilt the token and hammered copper coin pages into 2 new ones to speed up loading times. I have also updated them with more ID's

Tokens 18thC

Tokens 17thC

Updated the jewelry page with latest finds

Jewelry

I have finally managed to ID two outstanding trade half pennies. Fascinating that they were barber/surgeons.

1669 Manningtree - Carter Henry, surgeon (CHYRVRGEON) 'His halfpenny' hammered copper trade token

Volume II - 1319a Barber/Surgeon

Sill can't ID this coin - any ideas drop me a mail

Tim has sent me a better ID on an earlier French military button find.

June 1835 to 1884 French

 

16th May 2007 Treasure valuation day - Hawking area - More unpublished March finds

The 3 treasures that had their inquests held on the 28th March 2007 are now going forward to the valuation stage. Click on the letter for full size image and you can see that the committee meets today the 16th May. Pennsylvania Christy's 17thC silver button feedback is interesting as it is the first one of that type they have seen. Note the clasped hands above the heart and thought to commemorate the marriage of Charles II. More details on members area and updates on Hoard and Treasure page.

 

 

I reported our 5th medieval silver hawking bell fragment to the museum as treasure yesterday from the same area of land we have been detecting since Sept. This spot was the village recreational area since the 13thC so it looks like hawking was a big form of entertainment. The only complete bell so far was found by Ohio Eric several years ago.

 

Essex regiment

1907-1959

Buttons Ltd Birmingham

Royal Air Force

1907-1959

Buttons Ltd Birmingham

Royal Air Force

Mid 20th C
Firmin
London

London and North East Railways

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
Birmingham

15thC lead token - petal design
Medieval hammered silver penny fragment
18thC silver cufflink
Medieval decorated double loop oval buckle fragment

Medieval Bronze knife pommel - with head design

One for the museum to look at as it might be even earlier in date

1789 Trade penny

'The Woolen manufactory'

1916 George V milled silver shilling
1816 George V milled silver sixpence
Coin weight 1770's Pattern - 21 shilling (Guinea)
WWII GI cuff button
Generic Merchant Navy Officers
ROYAL MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923
RN Cap't / Commander - 1901
Fake - Line background never
existed. Possible on civilian
Jacket to avoid WWI
"White Feather" harassment.
Generic Merchant Navy Officers
Prussian WWI buttons - from start of War (brass) to end of war when metal was scarce

1855 on

Scotts Guards

French Navy - 1920's
WWII Royal Engineers
1795 Pattern Royal Artillery

 

 

14th May 2007 Metal Detecting training - day and week events

 

New for 2007 is the introduction of training days and weeks for those that want to try out detecting for the first time or want want to improve their find rates. I have purchased 2 more brand new Fisher Coinstrikes, my machine of choice and 3 more Whites MXT's, some of the most successful senior members machines of choice. We also have another very successful machine at finding Celtic gold a Garret 2500. The weekly events are run by our detector machine expert Gerry from http://www.gerrysdetectors.com/. Gerry who has over 30 years experience already runs regular training courses in the USA on the use of machines locally and also at Ganes Creek Alaska looking for gold nuggets. He has detected in the UK several times with impressive results so I approached him to run these events. Some of our senior members here have attended his courses with great success and improved find rates.

2 - One week training weeks are reserved for the 2nd to 9th and the 9th to 16th of November staying at the Barn house accommodation. 6 slots per week are available and will be run if there is sufficient interest. These are aimed at complete novices or improvers and all kit is supplied.

Check out the new training page for more info and for days out

13th May 2007 More ID's and updates - Treasures

Two disclaimed treasures have been picked up from the British museum on Thursday and will be returned to the finders, more details on the members forum.

Updated the military button pages with more interesting ID's. The early Navy button posted a couple of days ago turns out to be a Austro Hungarian Navy - Pre-WWI, the 10th Regiment looking button is another German one. I am waiting for feedback from a German button expert on the date. Tim our button expert has ID'd that curious navy button as

RN Greenwich Hospital Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1800 - 1815

Military buttons foreign

Navy buttons

10th May 2007 More of March's unpublished and cleaned finds

Medieval lead prism weight 55.16g
1733- 1790 Pinchbeck buckle
15th C Rope decorated single looped buckle
C1500 -1650 Cast copper alloy double loop oval buckle

1846 Victorian model quarter farthing (16th of a penny) 10.37mm dia

'Quarter Farthing - The smallest denomination ever struck in this country. There were 3,840 of these coins to the pound. They were issued by Victoria and struck in copper; they are scarce'.

Essex Constabulary

1860 Watham Gardiner & Co

Bristol

Arm and arrow button
Monogrammed button ?
Prussian Army 1880 pattern
17thC dress button
18thC dandy button
103rd Regiment of foot button
1904-69 Royal dragoons( 1st Dragoons)
Pre 1855 - 97th (The Earl of Ulster's)
Regiment of Foot
One piece button with 1S inscription - needs more investigation

1886- 1959

The Border Regiment

Austro Hungarian Navy - Pre-WWI
Coronation Souvenir, Queen Victoria or earlier

 

9th May 2007 More unpublished and cleaned finds

Some real interesting buttons with unknown fronts and markers marks sent off to our button expert Tim for his views and another treasure of a Medieval Hawking bell fragment.

Huge decorated gilded mount - need more investigation as to it's use

Medieval annular buckle
1842 Victoria sixpence
16thC buckle
1838
Nortzell & Son
1816 George III milled silver sixpence
Livery button

Livery button

No BM

London, Midland and Scottish railway company

Not in reference books

M.M Collier.Neal Maker to his majesty ??

WWI to 2 GI button

Warwickshire Constabulary

No BM

1881- 1956

Manchester Regiment

Livery button

BM 1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London

Working in Germany in 1941

Anyone know this button ???

BM

I.C.Maedicke

Berlin

Hunting button

BM

Mens sporting design

1855-81

82nd (Prince of Wales Volunteers) Regiment of foot

Livery button

BM 1843-1861
Boggett & Reynolds
St Martins Lane London

Not in reference books

Early 20th C
Firmin & Sons Ld
London

Hunting button

No BM

Livery button

No BM

WWII Royal air force

BM

20thC Cheney
B’ham

Livery button

No BM

Livery button

Unknown BM

Jackson Ribby

Gracechurch Street London

Royal Horse Artillery
Generic Issue


Officer & O/R's - 1873-1901

 

Royal Horse Artillery

1888-1889
Smith & Wright Ltd
180 Brearley Street, Birmingham

Hunting button

BM

Mens sporting design

Livery button

No BM

10th Regiment German

No BM

WWII Royal air force

Turner & Sons

Birmingham

Georgian decorated lock escushion

Respublica Genuensis

1814 Italy Genoa Republic coinage 2 Soldi

Medieval silver decorated hawking bell fragment- reported to Colchester museum as treasure

 

7th May 2007 Huge updates to site pages

I have archived some of this page to reduce loading times.

I have been working closely with Tim our button expert to ID a lot of the unknowns on all the button/badges pages. This 95th badge find turns out to be a Canadian 95th Battalion . A button I thought was just a nice livery button with Lions and Hearts could be another European regiment so I have sent it off to the guys on the French forum for their opinion. Just ID'd as an early Danish Army button.

Military Index
Military badges
Military buttons foreign

Military buttons numbered regs


Military buttons named regs
Navy buttons
Buttons Livery
Buttons Dress

6th May 2007 More unpublished finds posted - Members forum is down

The forum is down at the moment http://forumer.com/fap/fstatus.php We are on Server 7.

Tim Burton our military and navy button expert has officially joined the club as an associate member. Tim who has written all those great on line books we use is also after purchasing any buttons etc any member has doubles of or wishes to sell. Drop me a mail if you have any that you wish Tim have a look at.

Bronze round Fleur De Lis uniface French weight used for the Florin ( 24 pence coin ) ca 1350 - 1550. 3.07g
London, Midland and Scottish railway company
Stag livery button
1640's lead gun powder measure
Cast copper alloy decorated double loop oval buckle
c1500 -1650
Small bronze Roman lynch pin
1626 Charles 1st hammered silver penny

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

BM - Extra high quality

Hounds head hunting button
Circa 17th century

A slightly convex symmetrical mount with lobed ends, transverse ridges, and two integral pointed lugs.

Livery button
Intriguing piece - decorated triangular top - all 3 edges are also decorated. No idea what it was used for other than a decorative mount. 45,58 mm L ???

 

5th May 2007 Export time again - unpublished finds

During the preparation of paperwork for export licenses every item is looked at again individually. Any missed items while the hunts are underway are recorded and photo's uploaded to the site. All finds must be photo'd and itemised as part of the export process. Below is Idaho Gerry's export pouch as an example, boy did this guy dig like crazy with over 200 buttons dug alone. I have photo'd and posted some of his nicer buttons below. One appears to be an early US Navy and one is similar to an early Navy surgeon/ hospital ship type which I have sent off to our button expert for his views.

Gold mourning ring of Richard Wall aged 80 died in 1797 - some black enameling remaining Legend reads - OB 21st OCT 1797 // E 80 RICHD WALL
75 - 18th/19thC copper coins
2- 1stC Roman bronze coins - illegible
330-331 A.D. CONSTANTINOPOLIS commemorative roman bronze
1634 -36 Charles 1st Rose hammered copper farthing type 2
Charles 1st Royal farthing - Harp Type 3 Maltravers 'rounds' 1634- 36
1655 Henry Lamb of Colchester hammered copper trade farthing
1656 Samuel Salter of Dedham Copper trade farthing
2- 17thC trade farthing illegible
16thC Elizabeth 1st hammered silver half groat - illegible mint mark
1843 Victorian copper half farthing
2- 1586 Hans Krauwincel II Rose orb Jettons
1843 Victorian milled silver 4 pence
1873 Victorian milled silver 3 pence
1914 George V milled silver 6 pence
1923 George V milled silver 6 pence
1930 George V milled silver 6 pence
1926 George V milled silver 6 pence
1818 George III milled silver 6 pence
1567 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny
1560-1 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver three pence
16thC Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny fragment
C1280 Lusshenbourne hammered silver penny
1272 Edward 1st hammered silver penny. 17.82mm 0.96g Bury St Edmunds mint bears the name of the moneyer Robert de Hadelie
1501-1521 Venetian Soldino hammered silver coin 0.26g,12.08mm
Venetian Soldino hammered silver coin possible Marin Faliero (1354-1355) 0.34g,14.40mm
1247AD Henry III hammered silver voided long cross half penny
5 -18thC copper alloy thimbles
2- Georgian harness mounts
Medieval bronze pot leg
17thC Copper alloy religious cross
17thC crotal bell
18thC spur fragment
2- Georgian decorated lead tobacco jar lid handle
Medieval bronze pot fragment

16thC Tudor button
Clay pipe bowl
Georgian copper alloy brooch fitment
2- Copper alloy harness rings
18thC square bullion weight
1849 Monogrammed old Sheffield plate spoon handle - maker WH&S - Hutton W
2- 17thC spur fragments
17thC book clasp - 3 rivet fixing
Georgian circular harness boss
6- Georgian watch winders
4- Post medieval lead alange cloth seal
3- Post medieval lead bale seals
2- Medieval lead coin weights - pyramid star type
19- Nails
Roman lead steelyard lead weight
15thC lead long cross and pellet type token
15thC lead token - star type
4 - 16thC asymmetrical mounts with 2 integral lugs
Toy lead horse head
Victorian twisted wire base metal brooch
18thC Silver clog fastener fragment
18thC decorated pressed copper fabric edge protector
Victorian glass cameo fragment
1550 - 1650 AD double D buckle
Georgian square garter buckle
2- ball and claw bowl feet
Pewter decorated handle fragment
17thC sheep bell
204- Post medieval buttons
16thC spur buckle
Victorian pressed copper alloy bowl foot
2 - Victorian copper lock plate cover - Crown VR mark
1902 Medallion
2- Base metal chains with clasp
5 - Georgian buckle fragments
Bronze cast waste fragment
2- 16thC clothing fastener fragments
16thC mount with 2 integral lugs
17thC copper alloy oval mount with 2 integral lugs
5- Post medieval lead bales seals
Post medieval lead cloth seals
3- Post medieval lead loom weights
2- Post medieval circular plain lead weights
Rim fire cartridge fragment
1550 - 1650 Double D buckle
2- Georgian harness buckles
35 - Lead musket balls

 

Britain - Canada
Merchant Navy
Private Purchase - 1774-1812

Livery button

1852-1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London

Southend on Sea Corporation transport

Trolley Buses - 1925 - 1954

Special Quality

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901
18thC Pewter button with rose design
18thC bullion weight
Livery button
17thC gilded mount with 2 integral lugs
Capt / Commander - 1774-1787

O/R's - 1855-1873

Royal Artillery 1860-1912
Charles Jennens
[Prince of WalesPlume]
London

1855 - 81 69th Regiment of foot

1832-1912
Jennens & Co
London

Essex regiment

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd

15thC lead token
15thC lead token
?

RN Greenwich Hospital Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1800 - 1815

1st May 2007 More great buttons

More great buttons off our POW site cleaned up and a great ID by the guys on the French forum of those Rampent Lion buttons we have been finding. They looked initially like livery buttons but the numbers found and the construction matches the Bavarian crown buttons and they have been ID'd again as WW1 Prussian. I found this info on the web and it states this guy used the rampent lion as opposed to the crown type. As metal become scarse at the end of WW1 the buttons are made of cheaper material.

'This is a Bavarian reservist, called up for service late in 1914. He is wearing the standard 1910 Fieldgrey wool uniform with Brandenburg cuffs, piped in red, and the Stehumfallkragen (stand and fall collar), a very uncomfortable back pack and leather jackboots, unchanged since 1870. The outside seam of his Fieldgrey trousers would also have been piped in red. The buttons on his tunic have the Bavarian rampant lion in place of the Prussian crown'

"... Corps of Loyal Colchester Volunteers," raised in consequence of the fears of invasion by Napoleon in July, 1803. The total amount raised by this subscription was 1,392 ". A rare button indeed'
WWII Auxiliary Fire Serve

1876-1894

Livery button

1876-1894

Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades

Livery button

Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

19th Leicestershire 'Volonteers'

Not in the books

 

1881 Grenadier Guards

Smith & Wright
Birmingham

Speme Di Milano ?

1940-1948
Army Veterinary Service

J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
London

WWII GI button

Scovill MFG Co Waterbery NY

1890 on

General service great coat button

WWII

General service cuff button

Firmin
London

Grenadier Guards ?

1832-1912
Jennens & Co
London

Livery button

1806 - 1824
R Bushby
St Martins Lane

Manchester Transport Corporation

52nd French regiment button

Officer - 1820

 

30th April 2007 More ID's - Saxon gold

A French coin expert Com latrebateen (identifications du forum expert) has added further information to the Saxon gold coin found a few weeks ago and has this line drawing of a similar one.

 

'your tréméssis!! it is acted in fact of a trémessis of Plailly in the oise (area in the north of Paris) PLAITILIACVM in the name of the monetarist: DAIRENVSEA A/PLAITLIACO Diademed bust right.R/DAIRENVSEA cross réf: PROU 1102 '


Yesterday's Paris back mark button is ID'd by the guys at the French forum as French artillery after 1914-18. Tim Burt our button expert has also been helping with yet more ID's. Another earlier medallion find is not Nelson as first thought but Earl St Vincent as seen on the copper medallion below. A silver ring find with the word 'MIZPAH' is a Lodge item . . . The Shriners.

Huge gilded medallion find of a famous British Hero Earl St Vincent 38.13 mm dia 24.15g

obv Defeated the Spanish Fleet St Vincent

Rev Feb 14th 1797 four ships taken off Cape St Vincent - Valour rewarded

February 14th 1997 marked the bicentenary of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, the first of the important series of Horatio Nelson's naval victories leading up to the bicentennial of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005.

1895 Silver initialled ring - 'MIZPAH' - Birmingham hall mark date letter V 2.09g, 16.52mm dia

This is a Lodge item . . . The Shriners

UK - Britain
Huddersfield Corporation
Tramways
1883 - 1940
General Staff
Maker - Unknown

1855-1881

The Essex Regiment

Back Mark - J Samuel London W1

WWII The Royal Sussex Regiment
1855-1881 10th Regiment of foot
1935-1952 5th Dragoon guards
 

1852-1875

Heart and Hand

Firmin & Sons

13 Conduit St London

1876-1894

Firmin & Sons Ltd

Strand London

1895-1915

5th Dragoon guards

Firmin & Sons Ltd

London

The Kings Shrophire Light Infantry

Pre 1947

 

29th April 2007 Added Gerry's detectors - more great buttons

Member Idaho Gerry runs training courses in the use of detecting machines and I was very impressed with his 30 years experience and the results he has achieved especially with the ability to find gold nuggets . Ark Gary attended his gold hunting training 4 years ago which might account for his phenomenal success at finding 12 gold coins over here and the last Saxon gold coin. There is a real skill and technique required to find 1/4 Celtic gold staters as they are such a poor tiny target. Gerry has a web site http://www.gerrysdetectors.com where you can join these events in the USA. As a member he is offering great deals on new machines on the for sale part of the members forum http://essex.7.forumer.com/. Contact Gerry directly if you are interested as you don't have to a member to get the deals.

Myself and Mark are still getting out detecting for a few hours while there is land available on our POW site. The numbers of military buttons being found is still amazing and the earliest copper coins date to 1670's so far. We got RAF, USA GI, another load of 1880 Prussian type, 1890 pattern General service but two really neat Tram and railway buttons. We have found a whole bunch of Lion buttons which I though up to now were just nice livery buttons but I am not so sure. They have the same variance in construction and metal types as the 1880 Prussian type so are they military ? I have sent them and the 'Pari's backmark military button below off to the French forum to see if they can ID them.

Mark also cleaned up a load of earlier ones and made such a great job that I can now ID the back marks.

1882 London Midland & Scottish railways company

Firmin Ltd

Bruxellois Tramways

Back Mark

Bruxelles

R.J.Derooster

Bussells ?

Interesting back mark

20E. J.M

Paris

French artillery after

1914-18

What a neat livery button

 

Earlier cleaned up buttons

25th April 2007 More nice buttons - site updates

Updated all the hammered silver pages with the latest finds and added a new page for Scottish and Irish coins found here. Updated the Military and Navy pages with new ID's.

Tudor silver

Edward 1st to 3rd

Base metal coins

Took a break from the export paperwork and got out for a few hours detecting on our POW site. A great bunch of buttons found including some more 1880 pattern Prussian and 1890 pattern general service issues. A interesting find was this later period 16thC lead token with petal design.

UNITED KINGDOM
Shaw, Savill & Albion Line
In use 1882 - 1985
Maker - Unknown
Merge - Furmess Withy

1890 French Navy

Back mark reads compagnie and maker

ANGLAISE ?

Leicester Regiment ? Not in the reference books
Infanterie de ligne (1871-1916)

 

 

22nd April 2007 Find of the year winner announced

Congratulations to NH Dave on his stunning Medieval Iconic gold ring find that wins him this seasons 'find of the year' vote from all the members. In 2nd place was that beautiful Roman gold twisted ring

3rd place the Saxon gold coin.

 

The ring as expected was declared Treasure at the Coroner's inquest on the 28th March 2007 and is awaiting the valuation committee's stage of the Treasure Act. Colchester museum have indicated that they want to acquire the item but it all depends on the final valuation if they wish to purchase it, if not Dave will get it back. Below is the letter from the British museum ID'ing this amazing find. The five petal flower on the ring represent the five wounds of Christ and the number 7 may be an allusion to the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary. Dave wins the free weeks holiday next season, the Silver urn and his name on the shield of honour.

 

 

 

21st April 2007 More buttons ID'd - New USA, Aussie and Canadian page

We are starting to get a good set of USA finds mostly from the front of the old churches and the POW areas. I have added a new page USA, Aussie and Canadian finds and have also added a possible CSA button find that was in a guys export pouch. I missed it thinking it was just a nice monogrammed button. I have posted it onto the USA relic forum to see what they think it is. Tim Burt is still updating our Navy and Army button pages with correct ID's. Some interesting one's like this 1870's French Navy button.

 

Latest updates Navy buttons

I have now added another 10 new specialist reference books to our library ranging from Stone age to Saxon. These are are rare out of print editions and available for all members to read, fantasic details of finds

20th April 2007 Rare button find

Thanks to Tim Burt for ID'ing another set of our buttons found this season. He has just sent me his revised set of on line books that include some of our button finds. Being near the main Port of Harwich and the Colchester Army garrison gives us a very diverse set of both Navy and Army buttons. The prize of the buttons sent to Tim to ID has to be this rare local Colchester button, great find.

"... Corps of Loyal Colchester Volunteers," raised in consequence of the fears of invasion by Napoleon in July, 1803. The total amount raised by this subscription was 1,392 ". A rare button indeed'

CANADA
Canadian Pacific SS Line
In use 1901 - 1930's
Early Version
Maker - Unknown
Bristol Docks Authority
In use 1820 - 1992

UNITED KINGDOM
Castle Mail Packet
Company
In use 1869 - 1899
Maker - Unknown
Merged - Union Castle Line 1899

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901

 

I have revised the Navy button page into groups of crowned and non crowned type now Navy buttons

19th April 2007 End of the season summation - thanks to all

This was an outstanding season in terms of number of artefacts and coins recovered with 12 artefacts reported to Colchester museum as potential treasure. The museum has shown interest in purchasing 5 items under the Treasure Act and the Coroners inquests have been held for the majority of them.

Two new sites of about 40 fields were added from Sept 06 and these took 50% of our resource this season in attempt to hot spot them. We found another new Saxon area with artefacts and a single Saxon silver coin but his site is massive and will require a lot more work to realise it's potential. The most important new area we discovered is another Celtic village where the rare Celtic gold and silver was found. This area covers 17 fields and has a Beaker people excavation at it's centre and Canadian Rod's extensive research uncovered a chieftain burial and Torc found in the 1950's. The amazing discovery by Dr Philip De Jersey from the Celtic coin register that the first Celtic gold coin ever found here 4 years ago matches the die type exactly of this latest one found 5 miles away. Both these Celtic villages obviously worked closely together (see post 14th April). Philip is using the information we have reported to him to form part of new book he is writing on Celtic Hoards found in Britain. We have now registered our 60th Celtic gold coin with him since we started. An interesting figure is 60 gold, 4 silver and half a dozen bronzes have been found here. The Colchester area is well noted as having a disproportionate ratio of gold to other coins due to the wealth of the tribes here.

Our other 15 sites again produced very important finds including another Saxon gold coin found by Ark Gary with only one other of it's type existing in a French museum, great find. Mass Mike found the second oldest coin ever found here a Roman Republican silver at 108BC. That monster and one of the earliest milled silver coins a Charles 1st 30 shillings by Can Bill. Great artefacts included that Viking Thor's hammer pendant, Celtic woad grinder, enameled Roman brooches found by Cal Jeff, far to many to list. This was our best season for choice and rare hammered gold and silver coins including some great double stuck examples. We reported 8 Saxon coins to the Fitzmuseum for registration. We found another 2 new Celtic tribes visiting this area, Corieltauvi and Eppillus. It was an amazing season for gold rings including that fantastic Medieval Iconic and the Knights Templar ring. The Roman gold ring was also a stunning find on land we only started hunting since Jan 06. The site where there were prisoners of war working the land from the Napoleonic through to W.W.II produced staggering numbers of superb military finds and is a button hunters dream. Roman coin finds were lower this season due to our concentration on the new sites which only have marginal Roman signs.

Having said all that we hardly scratched the existing sites as we now have around 150 fields to try and cover. Now it all back to square one as they will all be replouged and refreshed ready for the season start in Sept.

Special thanks to all the specialists like Mark Lehman the Roman coin expert, Dr Philip de Jersey who runs the National Celtic Coin Index, Dr Martin Allen who runs the National database at the Fitzmuseum and Colchester museum for ID'ing and recording all our important discoveries. Thanks to Tim Burt our militiary button expert who's on line books and help has been invaluable this season.

Thanks to all the very valued membership here for their continued honesty, support and detecting with the best possible practices. Your long and dedicated work in all weathers has contributed greatly in the history of the local area. Finally the most important guys the landowners, they are a great bunch of folks who allowing us to detect their land even when they are cropped which says a lot to the friendship they have developed with the membership.

Now it's time to get on with the paperwork and exporting until Sept, it is going to be a long summer before we get our next fix !!

18th April 2007 Updated a load of individual finds pages - get your votes in

The unusual hammered silver penny posted on the 14th April turns out to be an Edward IV 1461-1470 AD hammered silver penny Durham (CIVITAS DVNOLIN) Type IV Rose in centre of reverse. Thanks to the guys on the French forum for their help to ID this coin.

Voting for find of the year is a three horse race this year. Just under half the votes have been cast so make sure as a member you have your say as to which artefact or coin wins this season.

Updated the following pages with the latest finds. The military finds are now split into sections with a new index.

Saxon finds 410 -1065 AD

Military Index

Military badges

Military buttons foreign

Military buttons numbered regs

Military buttons named regs

Navy buttons

Mounts

Georgian Period coins

Buckles and fasteners

Religious and Pilgrims items

Clog and shoe fasteners

 

15th April 2007 Awards, Prizes and voting for Find of the Year

Well that's it now to Sept when all the fields and reploughed and renewed and we are back to square one again LOL . It has been a fantastic season for finds again and now it is time for members to vote for their favourite find of the year from Sept 2006 Page 1 to March 2007 page 8 on the site. All gold finds were also recorded on the Gold finds all page. Drop me a mail to vote as the winner gets the free weeks trip next year, silver urn and his name on the shield of honor. Congrats to Ohio Tony who wins the Wayne Otto Memorial cup for the detectorist with the best attributes during the season. Tony has ears like bat for finding silver hammered coins and he hand reared Yngve the Swede with great results as on Yngve's second trip this season he found 5 hammered silver coins. The current prolific coin hunter is still being won by FL Rolo but several export pouches are yet to be counted.

Check out these pages before you vote

Sept 2006 Finds Page 1

Sept 2006 Finds Page 2

Oct 2006 Finds Page 3

Oct 2006 Page 4

Nov/Dec 2006 Page 5

2007 More finds page 6

Feb 2007 Page 7

March 2007 finds page 8

14th April 2007 End of the season - Celtic coin feedback

Dr Philip at the Celtic coin index has just sent me the final ID of the 3 Celtic coins found last week, great rare finds. Interesting to note that the wild stater is from the same die as the very first Celtic gold ever found here by Boston Al on a site 4 miles away. This is a good example of how unique all Celtic gold coins are as these two coins were struck from the same die but are a completely different shape. The comparison clearly shows how the gold was placed on the die which was larger than the coin to be made. Fascinating finds.

'just an update on the rarities of the three coins from last week:

CCI 07.0181, the 'A' quarter stater: 12 of these. This is one of the best for the reverse, it's unusual to get just about the whole 'A' visible.

CCI 07.0182, the wild stater (VA 1933): not so scarce, almost 90 recorded, but a fine coin nonetheless. Interestingly it's from the same pair of dies as one of your earlier Cuno staters, CCI 04.0679.

CCI 07.0183, the silver unit: also 12 of these, so again a rare one.'

Dr Philip de Jersey

I have still got to post more finds including a very unsual medieval hammered silver long cross penny not in the reference books. Note the flower in the centre of the cross, unlike those on Henry coins. I have sent it off to the French forum guys to see if it is one of theirs.

Edward IV 1461-1470 AD hammered silver penny Durham (CIVITAS DVNOLIN) Type IV Rose in centre of reverse

 

13th April More religious based finds

Click on this link to see relics as they are dug in the USA http://treasureoutfitters.com/. Great fun to see them come out of the dirt using a hatcam, produced by mudslideslim. Click on the episodes and watch the videos.

Part of our new site appears to have had some religious presence with clergy coming from a long distance. This latest medieval Pilgrims Ampullae is an exact match to one found in Norfolk, Fleur De Lis with crown underneath. The 1526 AD Henry VIII coin is known as a sovereign type penny, Archbishop Thomas Wolsey is from Durham (TW by shield type). This was found in the same area as the C 1480 AD boy bishop lead token. Another nice find was this crisp 1590 AD Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpence. Very interesting new area. More interesting finds posted the latest finds page March 2007 finds page 8

Medieval 'Norfolk type' lead Pilgrim's Ampullae - Fleur de lis and crown underneath - C 1400 AD Cast copper alloy double loop medieval buckle- Bevelled sides, raised and sunken panels (black enameled) alternating around the inner and other edge of the frame 49.74mm dia

1590 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver sixpence and a 1526-44 Henry VIII hammered silver sovereign penny - (Duram) TW by shield Bishop Thomas Wolsey

12th April 2007 Penny, half and 1/4 hammered silver

More great hammered silver finds including the very tricky to find cut halves and 1/4's. These were deliberately cut for small change in the period. I have posted few more finds to the March 2007 finds page 8.

1307 Edward II hammered silver penny class 15c - 1.35g,18.35mm

Obv EDWAR R ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI TAS TOR CAN - reverse error, should read CIVITAS CAN TOR - Canterbury mint

 

1189 AD Richard 1st short cross hammered silver cut halfpenny Class 4a 0.78g.19.23mm

Moneyer NICOLE of YORK

1247 Henry III voided long cross hammered silver cut qtr penny 0.34g, 9.23mm

 

 

11th April 2007 Religions theme

Yesterday's unique Henry coin find is even more unusual as it is in fact a double strike, the first I have even seen on an early hammered coin. It appears to have been moved through 90 degrees and re-struck hence the two ONB reverse legends and two HENDRIC legends on the obverse, what a neat find. Other great finds include this rare C1480 AD Boy Bishop token for this area, at 26.22mm dia it is a large token based on the long cross groat coin of the period This practice of issuing Boy Bishop tokens was confined mainly to Ely, Sudbury and Ipswich with the main centre Bury St Edmunds. These could be used as alms to buy food and drink at local shops. The shopkeeper would have received reimbursement from the abbey. Interesting that the Henry VIII Archbishop Warham coin was found in the same area.

 

Medieval lead pilgrims Ampullae - 1526 AD Henry VIII hammered silver half groat Canterbury, Archbishop Warham - WA by shield

These Ampullae were bought from religious sites around the country. They were filled with either holy water or oils and could be poured on the crops for a good harvest.

10th April 2007 Unique Henry III

This is an amazing find by Can Rod. It is a 1247 AD Henry III voided long cross hammered silver penny ( without sceptre type) with a unique front and reverse. Note the 'one sided beard' on the left to the Kings head. Amazing reverse where the cross goes down at 7 o'clock to miss the O and again at 10 'o'clock . The revere does not match any known type with ONB/ONB ? That is usually a Bristol mint and should read WAL/TER/ONB/RVS, great find. The other Henry III found shows what a normal one should appear like.

Henry III voided hammered silver penny Obv and Rev does not match any known type, no curls to left side of head - staggered cross ? See below for normal looking Henry III.

1.35g, 18.17mm

'Normal' looking 1247 AD Henry III hammered silver voided longcross with sceptre type Class 5d, London mint

 

9th April 2007 Quiet on new land

Quiet day on new land apart from a couple of really nice hammered silver coins including a huge James 1st shilling (12 pence)

1561 Elizabeth 1st hammy 3 pence - 1604-5 James 1st hammered silver shilling (12 pence) 2nd bust, First coinage

Obv IOCOBUS D G ANG SCO FRAN ET HIBER REX

Rev EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI


8th April Final weeks hunt

The last hunt of the season is underway and some nice do dads found including this really nice Henry VIII hammered silver groat and that amazing Hammered silver Groat turned into a brooch. Canadian Rod has completed a huge amount of research on the new land and has arrived with a whole series of maps and plots. The new Saxon area we discovered shows two rivers running though it in the past and an amazing huge moated area on anther field.

1526-44 AD Henry VIII hammered silver groat, second profile issue Type G

C in Henric is reversed D

obv HENRIC + VIII + D + E + AGL Z FRANC

rev POSVI DEV + ADITORE MEV

Satires on cross ends

 

'1298 AD French 'gros tournois" in Philipp's name (P for PHILIPPVS and EX for REX), but on this fragment, it wont be possible to tell which one, 4th, 5th or 6th..'.

Amazing artefact - Hammered silver coin with hook attachement as a brooch - full groat size - not English

I expect it is French as the back shows a series of Fleur De Lis - Posted it to the French forum to see if they can ID it.

6th April 2007 Rare Celtic finds ID'd - reloaded web site

I am well backed up with posting pictures as the web server has reached the maximum file capacity and died LOL. I have deleted the whole site and reloaded it and it appears to be working OK but please report any broken links if you find any. It was a complex reload into new folders and amazingly it worked but there are going to be bits that did not auto re-link !

What an amazing start to a new site which is huge with around 15 fields and has another huge bronze age village site at it's center. These latest finds brings our total to 60 Celtic gold coins recorded with the Celtic coin register including a whole series of rare ones. Our experience has shown that these 'offerings' always appear around the village on the land that would have been the crops of that village, very rarely do we find casual coin drops actually on the village itself. If you have a Celtic village site of your own then try detecting the fields surrounding the village which is where we find 99% of the offerings. Only on 7 occasions, when we reported hoards to the museum , have they been grouped closely together i.e. multiple offering spots. Again experience has shown that they are generally widely scattered up to several fields away from the actual village centre. The 'one off' Tribe finds like the recent Corieltauvi Stater are probably one of the few casual loses from visitors as this area was a huge trading center between tribes. As a guess I would say that 80% of all our gold finds have been intentional offerings and not casual losses.

Initial feedback on the latest 2 gold and 1 silver Celtic coin finds from the Celtic Coin Register. Amazingly rare types.

'You've evidently hit a good site here. I'm working away from Oxford for the next week so can't provide exact rarities for these yet, though I can give you a rough idea.

CCI 07.0180, the quarter stater: this is the type sometimes inscribed 'A', as here, and sometimes 'AGR'. There is no real agreement on what AGR means, but it might possibly be a son of Cunobelin - so issued in the short period between Cunobelin's death and the conquest, perhaps. Or it might be some other word, not necessarily a personal name. These are not common - not more than a dozen, from memory. The type is not listed in VA.

CCI 07.0181, the stater: actually a wild type, I think, VA 1931, with the rather doglike head on the horse. So on current thinking perhaps from the middle of Cunobelin's reign, say 20s AD.

CCI 07.0182, the silver unit: another rare one, and another which isn't in VA or in the BM catalogue. Again from memory I think we have about 8 or 10 of these. The obverse as you can probably see has CAM in the panel and then V above and L below; the reverse is a crouching dog with CVNO in the box below, if I remember rightly. The animal is very similar in style to the 'wild' horse so it probably dates from the same sort of period.

Many thanks for these - obviously a very interesting site. We don't seem to have any others recorded from that area, at least not till the end of 2004 which is what I can easily search'.

 

 

5th April 2007 Stunning Roman silver and Celtic silver finds

This Antoninus Pius Roman find was protected by a thick layer of 'horn silver', a thick crust that can grow on old Roman silver coins which can make the find look initially like a grotty bronze coin. Always test the edge on what appears to be a bronze grot to see if any silver shows through. Pick the 'scab' with your finger nail and wooden toothpick so not to scratch the silver underneath. Mark Lehman has sent us an interesting ID of the coin. Below is a picture of a Roman Imperial silver coin with pictures of the 'scab' and the coin underneath.

 

2.01g,16.29 mm

'It's Antoninus Pius, 138-161 A.D. - His connection to you and the island is that he built the 2nd wall, the wooden one north of Hadrian's. This is a silver denarius, as I'm pretty sure you already knew, this one was minted in 153/4 A.D. at the Mint of Rome.


Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS PP TR P XVII. Laureate head right.
Rx: COS IIII. Vesta standing left holding simpulum (ceremonial ladle) and palladium.
RIC III # 239a, RSC 198, Cf. SR 4065, VM 18/1.

Pretty spiffy stuff these days.

Mark Lehman

Another excellent find from a new site is this very unusual Celtic silver unit of the 'King of Colchester' Cunobelin. Celtic silver is very rare in this area as 99.9% of Celtic coin finds are gold coming from a very wealthy Celtic trading area. This is only our 4th Celtic silver unit ever so it is a very rare find.

Cunobelin - Son of Tasciovanus, father of Adminius, Togodumnus and Caratacus. During the last years of his father's reign, he invaded the territory of the Trinovantes and subdued them, probably prompted by the news of Rome's loss of Varus' three legions in Germany in AD9, and therefore fairly confident that his action would go unpunished. He continued to rule over the Trinovantes from Camulodunum (Colchester) by dint of his own resources and retained his seat of government there when he succeeded to the Catuvellaunian throne upon the death of Tasciovanus in circa AD10. He became 'the first British statesman,' and through diplomatic means, probably had his kingship over the joint Catuvellaunian/Trinovantian kingdom ratified by Rome, for some of his later coinage bears the title 'REX'. He continued to rule the combined tribes from Camulodunum for many years, and his capital became the focal point of British politics, learning and trade. Suddenly, in c.AD40, he was enfeebled, possibly due to a stroke. Subsequent military actions by his sons Togodumnus and Caratacus, who swept throughout south-east Britain deposing first their own brother Adminius (who had pro-Roman tendancies) from Cantium, then their old adversary Verica of the Atrebates, brought the attentions of Rome. Cunobelin died shortly before the coming of Rome c.AD42.

C 10 to 40 AD Cunobelin Silver Unit - CAM V - very unusual type sent off to the CCI for registration and ID

1.51g, 12.74mm

'CCI 07.0182, the silver unit: another rare one, and another which isn't in VA or in the BM catalogue. Again from memory I think we have about 8 or 10 of these. The obverse as you can probably see has CAM in the panel and then V above and L below; the reverse is a crouching dog with CVNO in the box below, if I remember rightly. The animal is very similar in style to the 'wild' horse so it probably dates from the same sort of period'.

Roman or 18thC ?

I have a ton of other finds to upload yet like this Roman looking medallion or it is an 18th token ? I have sent it off to our Roman expert for his opinion.

4th April 2007 Stunning Celtic gold finds and rare hammered silver

More great finds from the new land we are still trying to hotspot is these two 'King of Colchester' Cunobelin Celtic gold staters and both are stunning examples. These coins date from 10 to 40AD and are distinctly different types. This site is huge and is several miles from our existing Celtic village sites. I have sent both of the staters off to the Celtic coin index for recording and registration and for Philip's comments and ID. Other great finds include some excellent medieval hammered silver coins and one of them is a very rare Bury St Edmunds mint. I have posted a bunch on the latest finds page March 2007 finds page 8 with tons more to follow including an Roman silver that I have yet to send to our Roman expert for his comments.

1stC AD Cunobelin Celtic gold 1/4 stater 1.32g, 13.43mm - Cunobelin full Celtic Stater 'plastic type' 5.38g, 19.24mm

'CCI 07.0181, the stater: actually a wild type, I think, VA 1931, with the rather doglike head on the horse. So on current thinking perhaps from the middle of Cunobelin's reign, say 20s AD.'

'CCI 07.0180, the quarter stater: this is the type sometimes inscribed 'A', as here, and sometimes 'AGR'. There is no real agreement on what AGR means, but it might possibly be a son of Cunobelin - so issued in the short period between Cunobelin's death and the conquest, perhaps. Or it might be some other word, not necessarily a personal name. These are not common - not more than a dozen, from memory. The type is not listed in VA.'

 

This is very rare first coinage 1327 Edward III hammered silver penny type 15d , Initial cross type 3 - Bury St Edmunds mint

obv EDWAR R ANGL DNS HYB

rev SCIE DMV NDI

 

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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

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michelle@colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk