Discovering ancient treasure can mean a lot of money for the lucky finder.
According to a press release from Noonan's Mayfair, the London auction house which handled the coins' sale, 34-year-old archaeologist George Ridgway discovered the collection of more than 680 gold and silver coins with a metal detector in September 2019.
The coins were discovered by metal detector in the grounds of Helmingham Hall, near Stowmarket, Suffolk.
Hundreds of ancient Roman coins were unearthed in 2019, and their discoverer recently made a fortune selling them at auction. (George Ridgway)
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“On September 8th 2019, I decided to use my Garrett AT Pro metal detector to examine some unusual crop marks in a recently harvested barley field in Suffolk. I knew there was a Roman road that passed close to the field and hoped the two might be related, but after combing the area I came across nothing,” Ridgway said in a press release ahead of the sale.
Ridgway soon got some good luck, but it didn't stop him: After moving just 30 yards from his spot, he discovered two Roman brooches dating back to the mid-first century A.D. Then, his detector worked again, uncovering a silver coin issued by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., according to the press release.
“After three hours of searching, I couldn't believe my eyes and found over 160 Roman silver coins, some of which were attached to pottery shards. Convinced we had made a significant archaeological discovery, I asked my father to guard the site overnight whilst we waited for the archaeological team to arrive and excavate the site. It took three months to recover the hoard,” Ridgway continued.
George Ridgway discovered the coin in September 2019, and it recently sold at auction for several thousand dollars. (Noonans)
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As they excavated further, Ridgway said they “began to uncover Iron Age gold coins belonging to Cunobelin, king of the Katuwerauni and Trinovantes,” according to a press release. The collection of coins dates from 206 B.C. to the reign of Emperor Claudius in 46-47 A.D.
The find was noteworthy for Ridgway, who said in a press release that he “started hunting history” at a young age, inspired by Indiana Jones. Finding Roman treasure had always been on his mind ever since his grandmother gave him a metal detector when he was 12 years old. When he finally found the Roman gold and silver coins, he called it an “awe-inspiring” moment.
“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of today's auction. This is one of the largest reserves of both Iron Age and Roman coins ever discovered in the UK, with Claudius' latest coin and Cunobelin's coin in virtually as-minted condition,” Noonan's coin expert Alice Cullen said in a press release.
The money raised from the auction will be split between the landowner and the finder of the ancient coin. (George Ridgway)
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Of the coins collected, 63 were donated to the British Museum and Colchester and Ipswich Museum for inclusion in their respective collections.
The coin was expected to fetch £75,000 (about $100,000) at auction, but ultimately sold for much more.
The total amount won in the coin auction, which took place on September 18, was £132,865 (approximately $177,000), Noonan's announced in a press release.
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Noonans said money raised from the auction would be split between the landowner and Mr Ridgway.
When asked what he planned to do with the money, Ridgway told Noonans, “I want to buy my dad a beer!”
