The find was bought from the Queen for 4 million pounds
The world’s largest hoard of Iron Age coins found in a field was purchased from Queen Elizabeth II on the British crown island of Jersey for £ 4 million. The treasure was discovered by two hobbyist treasure hunters who had combed the same field for decades. Nearly 70 thousand coins, 2000 years old, were found under the hedge.
For 4 million pounds, the world’s largest treasure of Iron Age coins found in a field was bought from Queen Elizabeth II on the island of Jersey, writes the Daily Mail.
The Catillon II treasure was discovered in 2012 by two hobbyists who have combed the same field with metal detectors for decades. Reg and Richard Miles initially got a tip in the 1980s from a woman who said she noticed something that looked like silver buttons.
In the end, 69,347 coins, which had lain two thousand years underground, were found under a hedge in a mound of clay. The value of the coins was estimated at £ 10 million.
Roman and Celtic silver and gold coins were buried under a hedge in a large clay mound weighing three quarters of a ton and measuring 140 x 80 x 20 cm.
Later, the treasure was declared a “treasure” by the government, which meant that the coins became the property of the queen, although a couple of treasure hunters received the award.
An amount of £ 4.25 million was paid and agreed by the Council of Ministers from the Civil Assets Recovery Fund. This means that the historic coin collection will now remain under the Jersey Heritage site.
Jersey Chief Minister John Le Fondre said the purchase was “in the interests of the island.” He told the BBC: “This is a result that ensures this unique piece of Jersey history stays on the island for present and future generations. Since its discovery nine years ago, Jersey heritage keepers, archaeologists and volunteers have unpacked and examined the treasure, but it still has a lot to say about Jersey and our place in the world at the time of Christ. ”
The previous largest hoard of coins was discovered in 1978 in Wiltshire, on the site of the former Roman city of Cunetio near Mildenhall.
Read also: Named the most amazing archaeological finds of 2021 about prehistoric people
.