coins Archives - Regton Metal Detectors

XP Deus Elliptical HF Coil

16 November 201716 November 2017 Regton Detectors 5 Comments

XP Deus Elliptical HF Coil

Adam Staples

I’ve been waiting 7 years for an elliptical coil for the Deus. Ever since I first tried the Deus on iron-infested ground, and realised its potential to open up these sites, I have longed for XP to take it one step further with a smaller coil. The small footprint of the new 9.5” x 5” coil combined with the higher frequency choice of 14/30/80khz meant I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one.

After a few weeks of experimentation with the new coil, the combines finally started to roll and some of our favourite sites were becoming available. The elliptical had already proven itself useful, searching amongst the oilseed rape stubble and pulling out tiny finds that we had missed on previous searches, but now was the time to really put it to work on a contaminated site.

Our venue for the day was a large wheat field, the stubble had been harrowed down and conditions were near perfect. Last year we had discovered a small Roman site, field-walking had revealed an abundance of Roman pottery and an area of occupation approximately 100m x 100m. The soil was black here, littered with iron targets both large and small and the good finds were mainly small Roman coins, a perfect challenge for the new elliptical coil.

I started detecting around the edge of the main area using my 2 tone HF program, 30khz and reactivity 2.5. I really like the new 2.5 setting of V4, it is fast enough to get amongst the iron but still gives good depth on targets. Detecting in a straight line, my first pass of the site produced a few small pieces of lead before I hit the first Roman coin, a small bronze of the Emperor Gratian (AD 367 – 383). The HF coils really boost the signal from small items and this sounded much larger than it actually was. A few more bronze coins followed as I continued my line and then a much larger signal produced the first artefact of the day, a lovely 1^st century Roman brooch from around 6” deep.

When searching a productive site I always detect up and down in parallel lines to ensure thorough coverage. Eventually my search pattern took me to the edge of the most iron-infested and mineralised area of the site and it was here that I switched programs. I chose a customised version of the HOT program, running at 75khz, that I have been using recently with great success. The HF coils do not have the ID NORM feature of the standard coils, which means that at higher frequencies the numerical ID of a target is greatly increased. For instance: a medieval cut quarter coin typically registers around 45 at 18khz, but at 75khz it is around 85. When using a full tones program such as HOT, this means that the tone from a low-conductive item is much higher and stands out much more clearly. Combining this with the new negative discrimination of -6.4 meant that I was able to hear the full range of large and small iron in the ground whilst easily recognising the small non-ferrous targets lying within. The GB was set to 75 in manual, quite a difficult setting for general detecting but the HF coils are more stable than the standard coils at low GB and using full tones helped here. In full tones the good targets are clearly distinguishable from any ground noise and the new X/Y screen profile is another useful aid to target identification.

I set to work on the busy area and many more Roman coins followed. The elliptical coil is so precise amongst the iron and, searching slowly, it was possible to pick out the high tones right on the edge of iron signals. One of these signals produced my best find of the day, an Anglo-Saxon penny of King Cnut (1016 – 1035), a real surprise as this was my first hammered silver from this site. A second hammered, a small silver Venetian Soldino turned up shortly afterwards.

The elliptical coil is really well suited to sites such as this and the higher frequencies enable the Deus to see through difficult ground, to find the tiny items and also larger targets that are being partially masked by iron or heavy mineralisation. The slim design makes it ideal for use when conditions are difficult either above or below the ground. Not only does this coil excel on contaminated soil, it’s also a very useful tool for searching amongst vegetation, stubble or on rough ploughed fields. This coil is only tiny but has had a big impact on my detecting, I finished the day with over 200 non-ferrous targets including 45 Roman bronze coins, two Roman brooches, a Medieval ring and two hammered silvers… my best day ever on this site.

Roman hoard unearthed in a field in Peover Superior

13 July 201613 July 2016 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

METAL detecting enthusiast Ronald Lees unearthed the find of a lifetime in a field at Peover Superior. The 62-year-old initially found dozens of Roman coins, which became a hoard of almost 7,800 after archaeologists helped reveal the full extent of the amazing discovery. The bronze coins were produced in the third century, and the majority were found in a pot a few inches under the ground.

Mr Lees, from Altrincham, discovered the coins when he and friend Rick Parker made their fifth trawl of a field on a cold, wet winter’s day in January 2015. At an inquest into the find at Macclesfield Town Hall on Wednesday, Alan Moore, deputy coroner for Cheshire, declared the coin hoard to be treasure. Museums can express an interest in a find if it’s treasure, and if a museum wants the treasure the Treasure Valuation Committee will decide how much it is worth and how much will go to anyone entitled to a share of the find.

Mr Moore told Mr Lees at the inquest that It is an absolutely amazing find. Mr Moore read out a report by Richard Abdy from the British Museum. In his report Mr Abdy said the coins date from AD 251 to 274, and are similar to the many Romano-British coin hoards buried in the aftermath of the breakaway Gallic Empire. The empire was established in AD 260, he said, had held dominion over Britain and was reconquered by the legitimate ‘central’ Empire under Aurelian in AD 274. The coins include ones from the earliest years of Aurelian’s reign, and the latest are those of Tetricus I, AD 271-4 and his young son Tetricus II, the last of the Gallic Emperors. The greatest number, 1,902, are from the reign of Tetricus I, with 745 from his son’s reign. There are 1,670 coins from the reign of Victorinus, AD 269-71, 899 from Gallienus’ reign, AD 260-8, 599 from the reign of Claudius II, AD 268-70, and 354 from Posthumus’ reign, AD 260-9.

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Lees said he took up metal detecting again three years ago after being interested in it in his 20s.

South Norfolk Hoard Declared Treasure

7 October 20157 October 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

Ancient coin hoards discovered near Downham Market and Pulham St Mary have been declared treasure.

A hoard of Roman silver coins and a number of early medieval coins have been ruled to be treasure. A total of 26 Roman denarii were discovered by a metal detectorist John Kineavy. The trove is the third hoard from the same area in Pulham St Mary and it is thought more could still be at the site. Norfolk coroner Jacqueline Lake, sitting at King’s Lynn County Court, said the coins ranged from Republican issue to those of Roman Emperor Tiberius. They were issued between 154BC and AD37.

The hoard was unearthed on October 30 2014 and earlier collections, discovered in September 2012 and August 2013, included about 100 coins from the same period. The court heard Norwich Castle Museum are interested in housing the collection.

At yesterday’s inquest Mrs Lakes also declared another collection of coins found in Fincham near Downham Market as treasure. The coins were found by Stephen Sproule using a metal detector on August 30 2014. Mr Sproule also discovered a number of coins in October 2011 while metal detecting on land at Fincham. The coins were scattered over a wide area and appeared represent a hoard or part of a hoard. The most recent collection of treasure comprised eight silver Sceattas and described them as “porcupine types” – which refers to the design on the coin. They dated back to 730AD to 750AD.

Source: http://www.edp24.co.uk/

Coins & other finds

14 July 201514 July 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

Some great finds from our customers.

Medieval treasure found by metal detectorist

23 June 201523 June 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

Man finds thousands of pounds worth of medieval treasure including 15th century sapphire ring in field. Once in a lifetime’ find included 23 carat gold coins and a gold ring with a blue sapphire thought to have been from the 15th century. A pensioner stumbled on a “once in a lifetime” trove of medieval treasure when metal detecting in a friend’s field. Cliff Massey, 86, found an impressive hoard of three 23 carat gold and 25 silver coins during two separate visits to Iford Edwards’ farm near Bronington. He also made the “once in a lifetime” discovery of a 15th century gold ring featuring a cabochon blue sapphire. The total value of the discovery is unknown but a similar find of gold and silver coins made in 2012 in the same field saw Mr Massey and Mr Edwards receive a fee of £800 each. The coins which are from the reigns of Edward III, Richard II, Henry VI – with three more pennies of uncertain rulers – are believed to be from the same deposit in which someone buried or lost them after 1465. Mr Massey, who has been metal detecting for around 15 years, first met Mr Edwards, 58, when he was called to help him find his keys which he had lost on one of his fields a decade ago.

St. Albans Roman coins hoard bought for £100,000

28 May 201528 May 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A hoard of Roman gold coins unearthed in St Albans has been bought by one of the city’s museums for nearly £100,000. The trove was found by a metal detecting enthusiast on private land in October 2012 by a man making his first survey. The catch is believed to be one of the largest Roman gold coin hoards buried in the UK. The 159 coins date from the final years of Roman rule in Britain in the 4th Century and will go on display at Verulamium Museum from mid-September. David Thorold, a curator at the museum, said that Evidence suggests the coins were originally part of a hoard that had been disturbed at some point during the last couple of hundred years. During the Roman occupation of Britain, people buried coins for two reasons – either as a sacrifice to their gods or as a form of secure storage, with the aim of later recovery.

Roman coin hoard found in primary school

12 May 201512 May 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A hoard of Roman coins has been unearthed in the grounds of a primary school in Reading. A pot with up to 300 coins was discovered during an archaeological exploration of the site before The Ridgeway School’s redevelopment works. Experts believe the container was buried by a Roman citizen or farmer for safe keeping, possibly during a time of crisis or threat. Once assessed, there are plans to display the coins at Reading Museum.

Head teacher Madeleine Cosgrove said: “Both pupils and staff are very excited about this discovery and look forward to the story unfolding so that it can be preserved as part of the heritage of The Ridgeway School.” Investigations have shown there was probably a small Roman farm or hamlet on the site, which was preceded by late Bronze Age activity around 1,000 to 800 BC. The pot, coins and any other artefacts found during the archaeological dig at the school belong to the landowner, Reading Borough Council, and fall under the requirements of the Treasure Act 1996.

Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire

Eboracum (Ryedale) Hoard comes to auction

25 March 201525 March 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

This remarkable hoard of 65 coins and 4 ingots found by two metal detectorists in a North Yorkshire field in 2012 has come onto the open market in a highly unusual sale. The hoard is a fascinating insight into the power struggles of the northern Danelaw and King Aethelstan’s subsequent recapturing of York from the Vikings in a.d. 927. We see on the coins a fascinating mix of the different cultures and religions prevalent in 10^th century England.This opportunity to buy items from the Eboracum (Ryedale) Hoard is so rare because coins of this nature are normally declared treasure under the 1996 act and go to museums.In this case, both the Yorkshire Museum in York and British Museum disclaimed the hoard – describing it as overvalued – and so the 65 coins and four ingots, found by two metal detectorists in a North Yorkshire field in 2012, went back to their finders. London numismatists Spink have catalogued the material in about 60 lots for their March 26 sale in London. Spink specialist Jon Mann said: “I can’t think of a single find in recent times, at least since the Treasure Act was put into place in 1996, where something of this magnitude and period has not gone to a museum collection. In that respect it is a highly unusual thing to come onto the market.”

Eboracum (Ryedale) Hoard comes to auction

25 March 201525 March 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

Largest hoard of gold coins unearthed in Israel

18 February 201518 February 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A group of divers in Israel has stumbled upon the largest hoard of gold coins ever discovered in the country. The divers reported the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority, and nearly 2,000 coins dating back to the Fatimid period, or the eleventh century, were salvaged by the authority’s Marine Archaeology Unit. The find was unearthed from the seabed of the ancient harbour in Caesarea National Park, according to a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The five divers have been called “model citizens” by the antiquities organization. Had the divers removed the objects from their location or tried to sell them, they could have faced a sentence of up to five years in prison. The oldest of the coins is a quarter dinar that was minted in Palermo, Sicily during the second half of the ninth century. The majority of the coins can be traced back to the Faimid caliphs, Al-Ḥākim and his son Al-Ẓāhir who were alive in during the eleventh century. These coins were minted in Egypt and North Africa.