Just over a year ago, a group of metal detectorists discovered a hoard of 21 coins in a field near Okehamtion Castle in Devon, England. The discovery was recently revealed due to laws regarding treasure discovery.
The group of treasure hunters behind the discovery, the Teignbridge History Finders, is led by Jim Luxton, according to DevonLive.com, who called the find “incredible,” as one of the group’s first.
The hoard included 21 ancient coins, which were found within weeks by Luxton, Paul May, Neil King, Pete Young and Clive Hammett, the BBC reported. They named their discovery Okey Hoard, according to the media outlet.
A group of metal detectorists have discovered a hoard of ancient coins near Okehamtion Castle. (iStock)
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Although the discovery was made in late 2023, treasure discovery laws prevented it from being immediately announced.
The age and composition of the hoard led it to be classified as treasure under the Treasure Act of 1996, according to DevonLive.com.
Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure hunters must inform the coroner of the area where the find was made, as well as report news of their find to the landowner.
Luxton told DevonLive.com that only a few pieces were found at first, with more discovered after further investigation.
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“At first it was three rooms. Then I got a call saying I better go to the area because we found eight more rooms,” Luxton told the outlet.
“A few weeks later we had a return visit where I found the last piece, making it a staggering 21 pieces,” he continued.
The coins date from 1282 to 1434 AD, depending on the source.
Although the pieces will not bring significant monetary value to the group, they instead fall into the category of historical finds, Luxton said, according to the BBC, and he hopes that soon the group’s find will be displayed in a museum.
The Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in England, is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver work ever discovered. (David Jones/PA Images via Getty Images)
Metal detectors have considered themselves lucky several times throughout history. One of the most historic treasures ever discovered was discovered in England by a metal detectorist, called the Staffordshire Hoard.
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The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon silverwork ever discovered, according to the Birmingham Museum website.
It was discovered in 2009, in a field near Lichfield, Staffordshire. The hoard consisted of 4,000 broken objects and fragments, including many war items such as swords and helmets.
The Hoxne Hoard is another of England’s great archaeological discoveries.
One of the most historic coin hoards discovered in England was the Hoxne Hoard, made up of thousands of Roman gold and silver coins. (CM Dixon/Print Collector/Getty Images)
This particular treasure was discovered in the village of Hoxne, Suffolk, by a man who was initially scanning the land with his metal detector in the hope of finding a lost hammer.
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Eric Lawes ended up finding something much more significant while scouring the earth in 1992. He discovered the Hoxne Hoard, a collection of more than 15,000 Roman gold and silver coins, along with other artifacts like crockery and jewelry.
