Black Country metal detectorist to cash in on once-in-a-lifetime find. A treasure hunter from Wolverhampton has unearthed an artefact find that is expected to net him a cash windfall.
Colin Pearson found a 14th or 15th century gold reliquary when out with the Bloxwich Research and Metal Detecting Club.
The 70-year-old found the 34mm by 28mm artefact in a farmer’s field in Drayton Bassett, on the Staffordshire/Warwickshire border. If it had been complete, would have been worth £70,000. In the condition that it was found, the piece is worth around £7,000. It is currently being held by the British Museum while Warwick Museum prepares the funds to purchase it for its collection. It’s believed the gold reliquary could once have been worn by royalty.
Mr Pearson, who lives in Compton and has been metal detecting for more than 30 years.
It really is a once-in-a-lifetime find, there are only three of these lids.
One was found by a four-year-old in Yorkshire who went out metal detecting with his dad, and that one was worth £70,000.
Source: http://www.expressandstar.com/