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Huge Iron Age haul of coins found | Huge Iron Age haul of coins found |
(about 2 hours later) | |
One of the UK's largest hauls of Iron Age gold coins has been found in Suffolk. | One of the UK's largest hauls of Iron Age gold coins has been found in Suffolk. |
The 824 so-called staters were found in a broken pottery jar buried in a field near Wickham Market using a metal detector. | |
Jude Plouviez, of the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, said the coins dated from 40BC to AD15. | Jude Plouviez, of the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, said the coins dated from 40BC to AD15. |
They are thought to have been minted by predecessors of the Iceni Queen Boudicca. | They are thought to have been minted by predecessors of the Iceni Queen Boudicca. |
Ms Plouviez said their value when in circulation had been estimated at a modern equivalent of between £500,000 and £1m, but they were likely to be worth less than that now. | Ms Plouviez said their value when in circulation had been estimated at a modern equivalent of between £500,000 and £1m, but they were likely to be worth less than that now. |
Wealthy tribes | Wealthy tribes |
"It's a good, exciting find. It gives us a lot of new information about the late Iron Age, and particularly East Anglia in the late Iron Age. | "It's a good, exciting find. It gives us a lot of new information about the late Iron Age, and particularly East Anglia in the late Iron Age. |
"The discovery is important because it highlights the probable political, economic and religious importance of an area. | "The discovery is important because it highlights the probable political, economic and religious importance of an area. |
"It certainly suggests there was a significant settlement nearby. As far as we understand, it was occupied by wealthy tribes or subtribes," she said. | "It certainly suggests there was a significant settlement nearby. As far as we understand, it was occupied by wealthy tribes or subtribes," she said. |
Ms Plouviez said the find was the largest collection of Iron Age gold coins found in Britain since 1849, when a farm worker unearthed between 800 and 2,000 gold staters in a field near Milton Keynes. | Ms Plouviez said the find was the largest collection of Iron Age gold coins found in Britain since 1849, when a farm worker unearthed between 800 and 2,000 gold staters in a field near Milton Keynes. |
Secret excavations | Secret excavations |
She said secret excavations had been carried out on the latest find in Suffolk after a man reported it to the council's archaeological service in October. | She said secret excavations had been carried out on the latest find in Suffolk after a man reported it to the council's archaeological service in October. |
The staters, which each weigh about 5g, will now be valued ahead of a treasure trove inquest. | The staters, which each weigh about 5g, will now be valued ahead of a treasure trove inquest. |
"We don't know how much they will be worth but it will be less than they were at the time," said Ms Plouviez. | "We don't know how much they will be worth but it will be less than they were at the time," said Ms Plouviez. |
"After the treasure trove inquest, they will be offered to museums at their current value." | "After the treasure trove inquest, they will be offered to museums at their current value." |
She said the exact location of the find would not be made public but added "thorough" searches of the area had not uncovered any further artefacts. | She said the exact location of the find would not be made public but added "thorough" searches of the area had not uncovered any further artefacts. |