Roman coins found near Wiltshire village fetch over double its £40k estimate
They went on sale yesterday (Tuesday 17th May)
A hoard of Roman coins found by some metal detectorists near Pewsey in Wiltshire have fetched over £81,000 at an auction in London.
The 142 lots went under the hammer yesterday and were estimated to be sold for between £30,000 and £40,000.
In total they went for £81,160 at auctioneers Noonans, with the most expensive one being bought for £4,200.
Three metal detectorists discovered the hoard while spending the weekend camping near Pewsey.
The trio were staying in a field near the ancient Wiltshire village in September 2020 when they found the treasure trove just metres from where they had pitched their tent.
Computer shop owner, Robert Abbott, from Essex, switched on his metal detector after having breakfast one morning and very quickly came across something.
While at first the 53-year-old uncovered only discarded metal tent pegs, he dug a little deeper and hidden below was a valuable silver Roman siliqua coin said to be about 1,600 years old.
By the end of the weekend Robert and his friends Mick Rae and David Allen had found 161 coins, including silver siliqua and miliarense coins dating from AD 340-402.
After the auction, Mr Abbott said:
“Wow, I am gobsmacked, this is the first auction that I have ever been to, so to see my own items sell so well was amazing. Dave and I sat there watching the prices go up and up! We will obviously share the sale proceeds with the landowner, but I know Mick will spend his money on his new micro dairy, while I will buy anew camera. For the first time, I am lost for words.”
The group resorted to storing the coins in their camping washing up-bowl!
The coins are believed to have been buried during the last years of the Roman Empire by people looking to protect their valuables from Saxon raids.
Nigel Mills, from Noonans, said:
“Virtually all of the coins were in mint condition and have not even needed to be cleaned since their discovery. The hoard was buried at a time when Roman rule in Britain under the Emperor Honorius was no longer viable with the army being recalled to protect other provinces. In AD 410 Britain was told to protect itself by Honorius.
“As a result Britain has become a treasure island of late 4th century and early 5th century gold and silver Roman coin and jewellery hoards as the local population buried their valuables and then fell victim to Saxon raids. Detector finds in recent years include the Thetford and Hoxne hoards.
“The sale was really well supported and made double its high estimate, it was amazing! We had buyers from the USA, Germany, Malaysia and the UK, and everyone is very happy with the outcome – it just shows what can be achieved if you do all the right things.”
The friends are keeping some of the coins that they found and the British Museum has studied the coins and is adding two to their collection.