A collection of Roman coins found by a metal detectorist in Sapcote, Leicestershire, fetched a hammer price of £4,400 — almost three times their high estimate — at a recent Noonans Mayfair sale of British and ancient coins. Bought via the internet by a bidder in the United States, they had been expected to bring between £1,200 and £1,500.

The coins were discovered by David Dunn, who has been metal detecting for two years. He took up the hobby as a reason to go out on his own into the fresh air after a long day working indoors.

As Dunn explained: “It was sunny on the morning of Wednesday, July 19, 2023, and something told me to go to the pasture field that I had visited numerous times, which was 15 minutes’ walk from my house. After a few hours searching, I had a faint signal.“

Dunn made his first discovery from that signal. “I then found a Roman coin and another with my pinpointer in the same hole. I was so excited that I went to get the farmer and then after digging down to about two feet, it then just snowballed from there and we found 50 coins in total… who knows what would have happened if we continued digging further!”

Dunn was not aware of any other finds in that particular field, but added, “it is pretty close to another farm which contains a Roman Villa. Many of the coins that I found were in really good condition with perfect portraits — it was a once in a lifetime find!”

To follow proper protocol, Dunn took the coins in a briefcase to his local finds officer, who kept them for a year and offered them to various local museums. After having them disclaimed and returned, he has decided to sell them. 

Prior to the sale, Noonans coin expert Alice Cullen added, “This is a wonderful find of antoninianus coins by David and we are very pleased to be selling them. The antoninianus was a coin used during the Roman Empire thought to have been valued at 2 denarii. This hoard dates from the reigns of Carausius who usurped power in 286 after the Carausian Revolt, and declared himself emperor in Britain and northern Gaul; Allectus, who died in 296 and was a Roman-Britannic usurper-emperor from 293 to 296; Diocletian, nicknamed Jovius, who was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305, and Maximian who reigned from 286 to 305, sharing the title of Augustus with his co-emperor and superior Diocletian.”

She added: “The first coin in the hoard is going to be recorded in the new volume as a new variety which is very exciting! This particular coin is from the reign of Carausius (286 to 293) and is decorated with a bust of Diocletian on one side and a standing woman on the other.”

David watched the sale while working; following the sale, he said: “Wow, it was exciting to watch, I am really happy with the result and as I said before the sale, I will give the majority of the money to the farmer. What I like about metal detecting is that we are preserving history and I will continue to detect, but tonight I will go to celebrate with a couple of drinks!”

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