A Telford-based metal detector recently struck detecting gold, discovering a rare 15th century coin while hunting near Much Wenlock. Marc Porter, a history enthusiast who’s been ‘treasure hunting’ for five years, was astonished to come across the find during his exploration of the area.
“When it fell out of its resting place into the hole I’d dug, I didn’t believe at first that it was a coin,” he recalls. “I’ve been fooled by yellow bits of metal before. A second glance confirmed it was a real gold coin and it took my breath away. Adrenaline kicked in and I started shaking at the thought of what I’d found. Staring back at me through the dirt was a Gold Angel.”
After reporting his find to the landowner, Marc, who uploads photos of his finds to his Instagram page, Hidden Shropshire, cleaned the coin and identified it as a rare Gold Angel of Richard III. He then uploaded it onto the Portable Antiquities Scheme database and contacted Shropshire’s Finds Liaison Officer Peter Reavill. The coin is still in the possession of Marc and the landowner, and Marc is keen to carry on metal detecting, saying, “Who knows what will be under my feet next time?!”
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