A METAL detectorist who unearthed one of the largest ever hoard of Iron Age coins in Britain and decided to keep 23 of them as a “memento” will have his metal detector destroyed. Groundworker Shane Wood, 62, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford, Essex in September last year. Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court that “avid birdwatcher” Wood saw a feather fall from a buzzard and noticed a gold item in the field where it landed. Wood went home to fetch his metal detector and made the discovery, placing the coins into a bin liner. Mr Petchey said that the horde of 933 Iron Age gold Staters was “likely to be if not the largest then the second largest such find in Britain”.
A METAL detectorist who unearthed a hoard of ancient coins and decided to keep some as a “memento” will have his metal detector destroyed, a court has ordered. Groundworker Shane Wood, 62, of Hanningfield Road, Great Baddow, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford in September last year. Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court “avid birdwatcher” Wood saw a feather fall from a buzzard and noticed a gold item in the field where it landed. Wood went home to fetch his metal detector and made the discovery, placing the coins into a bin liner. Mr Petchey said the horde of 933 Iron Age gold Staters was “likely to be if not the largest then the second largest such find in Britain”.
Police became involved and officers who searched Wood’s house found 23 Iron Age coins.
“He admitted he knew the coins were treasure and he shouldn’t have kept the coins,” said Mr Petchey.
Simon Nicholls, mitigating for Wood, said: He had no idea what they were worth but he just thought given the fact he’d handed over hundreds to the landowner he would keep some as a memento.
He said Wood reported the treasure find to a man he believed to be the landowner but actually “merely has permission to keep horses on the land”.
“What (Wood) didn’t appreciate is that as the finder of the items on the land the obligation is to notify the coroner himself within a prescribed time,” said Mr Nicholls.