hoard Archives - Regton Metal Detectors

10 Top Tips for Metal Detecting

4 July 202220 July 2023 Regton Detectors

Are you new to metal detecting? Perhaps you are looking to brush up on your metal detecting skills? If so, Regton has provided tips to help you get the most out of your hobby.

1. Do your research before you buy a metal detector. There are many different types and models on the market, and choosing one that suits your specific needs is essential. Regton stocks a wide range of metal detectors for professional use.

2. Get a decent metal detector if you’re serious about finding valuable items. While some good-quality consumer-grade detectors are available, they won’t have all the features or attributes of a more expensive model.

3. Make sure you have a waterproof control box on your new metal detector if you plan on using your detector in anything deeper than 6 inches. Some models’ control boxes are only weather-resistant, so they won’t be able to withstand being submerged in water. You can view our range of underwater metal detectors here.

4. Brush up your knowledge of local laws and regulations in case of finding treasure. Research the Treasure Act 1999, and remember that you must report all finds of treasure to a coroner for the district in which they are found within 14 days after the day you made the discovery.

5. Practice using your metal detector in different terrain and soil. Open countryside & beaches are very different detecting experiences. This will help you get a feel for how it works and what kinds of objects it can detect.

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6. Be patient, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different settings on your metal detector. It takes time and practice to get good at metal detecting, and you may need to adjust the sensitivity or ground balance depending on the conditions you’re detecting.

7. Keep an eye on the weather forecast before you go out metal detecting. If there’s a chance of rain, it’s best to take precautions, so take a sandwich bag that could be placed over a non-waterproof control box if you get caught out.

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8. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear when you go metal detecting. You’ll be doing a lot of walking, so it’s essential to be comfortable. Remember, no steel toe caps. Have you ever seen a dog chase its tail?

9. Bring along a small shovel or trowel to help you dig up objects you find. Make sure you fill any holes you make, so the area is left in its natural state. This is equally important on farmland despite it sometimes being a rough terrain; it’s all about etiquette, making good your holes & remove any rubbish, and helping the farmer.

10. Have fun and enjoy the outdoors! Metal detecting is an excellent hobby for people of all ages.

For more information, you can look at Regton’s beginner guide here.

Be sure to check out our range of professional metal detectors and waterproof metal detectors at https://regton.com.

Metal detectorists unearthed Roman coin hoard in Cornwall

24 August 201724 August 2017 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

The pair had been detecting a ploughed field with metal detectors when they discovered the hoard of nearly 2000 roman coins mixed up with the remains of a pure tin container, with a handle and lead stopper, which it is believed had once contained the coins.

1,965 coins were found inside a stone-lined pit. They date from 253AD to 274AD.

The hoard was discovered by Kyle Neil, 18, from Scorrier, and Darren Troon, 45, from Redruth. They are members of the Kernow Search and Recovery metal detecting club.

The coins were taken away for inspection by Royal Cornwall Museum and the British Museum after their discovery. Details of the find were revealed at a Cornwall Coroner’s Court where coroner Emma Carlyon officially recorded that the hoard was classed as treasure.

The recovered coins are known as radiates. They are all made of bronze with one per cent silver. They were a common currency in the late Roman period. In about 260AD, Briton was part of a breakaway Gallic empire. The court heard from a report by an expert at the British Museum who was able to identify the following Roman emperors on the coins.

Valerian, AD 253-60, 3 coins
Salonina, 14 coins
Saloninus, 1 coin
Gallienus, AD 260-8, 130 coins
Claudius II, AD 268-70, 164 coins
Divus Claudius II, AD 270, 32 coins
Quintillus, AD 270, 8 coins
Aurelian, AD 270-5, 1 coin
Postumus, AD 260-8, 1 coin
Postumus (debased), AD 268-9, 6 coins
Marius, AD 269, 1 coin
Victorinus, AD 269-71, 188 coins
Divus Victorinus, 1 coin
Tetricus I, AD 271-4, 438 coins
Tetricus II, 200 coins.

Of the rest, 78 coins were of uncertain Gallic origin, there were 54 where the emperor could be seen but not identified and 645 coins which were too badly corroded to be made out.

Perhaps of most interest is the remains of the tin vessel, although little of it has survived. Anna Tyacke, the liaison officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Cornwall, said that it is a rare type of container for coin hoards, which are more often found in pottery.

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.

Lenborough coin hoard valued at £1.35m

9 June 20169 June 2016 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A metal detectorist is to get a share of £1.35m after finding a hoard of 5,251 Anglo Saxon silver coins. Paul Coleman found the coins in Lenborough, Buckinghamshire in 2014. The Treasure Valuation Committee has ruled on their worth and Mr Coleman will split the money with the land owner. The Buckinghamshire County Museum had already launched a fundraising campaign ahead of the valuation, with the aim of buying the hoard.

The coins, which were found buried and wrapped in a sheet, depict the heads of King Ethelred the Unready and King Canute and came from 40 different mints around England. Mr Coleman, who lives in Southampton and is a member of the Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club, said he was accepting the valuation and wanted the hoard to go to the Buckinghamshire County Museum. He said that It’s open to wild speculation and it has been suggested by some experts that was worth £2-3m.

Tudor treasure hoard found in Thames

20 January 201620 January 2016 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

Tudor gold found in the river Thames: Tiny haul of delicately crafted 16th century beads, studs and aglets discovered by mudlarks who scour the shore.

Treasure hunters searching the banks of the Thames have unearthed a tiny trove of Tudor gold. The pieces include delicately crafted beads, studs and aglets – metal tips for laces – which would have adorned hats or garments to display social status. The style and date of the pieces are so similar that archaeologists believe they may have come from one piece of clothing, possibly a hat blown into the river from a wealthy boat passenger’s head.

Dating from the early 16th century, they were found over the past few years by eight licensed mudlarks – treasure hunters who have permits to scour the Thames foreshore. The Museum of London said the pieces – which are so small they could all fit into an eggcup – were wonderful and hint at the fashion of the time. It hopes to acquire them following a formal treasure trove inquest. Archaeologist Kate Sumnall, who is based at the Museum of London, said the pieces were declared as treasure. Individually they are all wonderful finds but as a group they are even more important. To find them from just one area suggests a lost ornate hat or other item of clothing. The fabric has not survived and all that remains are these gold decorative elements that hint at the fashion of the time. The museum hopes to acquire the pieces once they have gone through a formal treasure trove inquest. London’s history as a trading port means the banks of the Thames conceal artefacts dating back many centuries, and the river’s alluvial silt and clay help to preserve such finds. Most discoveries have little or no financial value but help historians to understand the lives of previous generations.

Rare Viking hoard unearthed by metal detectorist

15 December 201515 December 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A rare Viking hoard of arm rings, coins and silver ingots has been unearthed in Oxfordshire. The hoard was buried near Watlington around the end of the 870s, in the time of the “Last Kingdom”. This was when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of the Vikings, which was to lead to the unification of England. Archaeologists have said the hoard is a nationally significant find.

The hoard was discovered by 60-year-old metal detectorist James Mather using an XP Deus metal detector.

He said: “I hope these amazing artefacts can be displayed by a local museum to be enjoyed by generations to come.”

The find in October was lifted in a block of soil and brought to the British Museum, where it was excavated and studied by experts from the British Museum in London and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The hoard consists of 186 coins – some fragmentary – and includes rarities from the reign of King Alfred “the Great” of Wessex, who reigned from 871 to 899, and King Ceolwulf II, who reigned in Mercia from 874 to 79. During this period, King Alfred achieved a decisive victory over the Vikings at the famous Battle of Edington in 878, prompting them to move north of the Thames and travel to East Anglia through the kingdom of Mercia.

Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coinage at the British Museum, said it was a key moment in English history as Alfred forged a new kingdom of England by taking control of Mercia. This hoard has the potential to provide important new information on relations between Mercia and Wessex at the beginning of that process.

Seven items of jewellery and 15 ingots were also found. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, said “Fascinating finds like this Viking hoard are a great example of the one million discoveries that have been unearthed by the public since 1997.”

Under the Treasure Act 1996, there is a legal obligation for finders to report such treasures.

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

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/

Archaeologists Discover Hoard of Silver Roman Coins in Bulgaria

10 September 201510 September 2015 Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A hoard of 2,976 silver Roman coins from the 1^st-2^nd century AD has been unearthed by archaeologists during the excavations of the ruins of the Ancient Thracian and Roman city of Serdica in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.The silver coin treasure has been found hidden inside a ceramic jug with a lid in the structures from Ancient Serdica which are being excavated on the square near the St. Nedelya (Holy Sunday) Cathedral and the Hotel Balkan (formerly the Sofia Sheraton) as part of the efforts for the further study of the Thracian and Roman city and its partial archaeological restoration. The treasure of silver coins is the largest collective coin treasure to have ever been found during the excavations of Ancient Serdica, Sofia Municipality has announced.The coins in question were collected for a period of at least 100 years since the earliest ones are coins of Roman Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD), and the latest – coins of Emperor Commodus (r. 177/180-192 AD).

The vessel itself containing the silver coin treasure was found in Late Antiquity archaeological layers, i.e. the layers dating to the 3^rd, 4^th, and even the beginning of the 5^th century AD but the treasure itself was certainly collected during the 1^st and the 2^nd century AD.

There are also coins that feature almost all of the other Roman Emperors in-between and some of their wives, daughters, or sisters, from the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty (r. 96-192 AD) – including Emperor Nerva (r. 96 – 98 D), Emperor Trajan (r. 98-117 AD), Emperor Hadrian (r. 117-138 AD), Emperor Antonius Pius (r. 138-161 AD), as well as Vibia Sabina (wife of Emperor Hadrian), Faustina the Elder (wife of Emperor Antonius Pius), Faustina the Younger (daughter of Emperor Antonius Pius and wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius), Bruttia Crispina (wife of Emperor Commodus), and Lucilla (daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and elder sister of Emperor Commodus).

The discovery of the Roman silver coin treasure from Serdica is especially interesting because on the outside of the ceramic vessel containing the coins. Its (last) owner scratched their name – Selvius Calistus, apparently a Roman citizen with a Greek surname.

The silver treasure and the pottery vessels have been taken to the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences where experts are working on their further examination and restoration. Once they are done, the finds will be exhibited in the future Museum of Sofia’s History.

Source: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/

Treasure hunter found £2.9 million in gold coins

20 August 201520 August 2015 Regton Detectors 3 Comments

Treasure hunters have discovered a hoard of Spanish gold coins from the 18th century that are worth around £2.9m. The 350 coins have lied scattered on the Atlantic sea bed off the coast of Florida for the past 300 years.

The coins originate from a fleet of 11 Spanish galleons that sank during a hurricane while making the journey from Cuba to Spain. The discovery is the second major find in Florida in recent months. In June, treasure hunters found about 50 coins worth about $1m.

The 350 coins, which were brought to the surface at the end of July, turned up in just a metre of water close to the shore, buried under the sand. Under US state law, Florida will keep 20% of value of the find.

The diver who discovered the coins, William Bartlett, declined to say what his cut would be, telling a local newspaper: “I’m just a guy on a boat living the dream.” Brent Brisben, who owns the rights to the wrecked ships, says the find includes nine rare pieces known as “royal eight escudos”. Only 20 were known to be in existence before this latest find. “These royals are perfect specimens of coinage of the time and they were made on royal order for the king of Spain,” Mr Brisben said.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/, http://www.tcpalm.com/

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.

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