Treasure Hunters Find More Than 1,000 Silver Coins in England

Luke Mahoney, a resident of the English county of Suffolk, in the United Kingdom, recently found treasure, consisting of more than a thousand silver coins dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

Mahoney, a father of three, who runs a metal detector shop in the English town of Lindsey, was out in the 15-acre field on July 26 when he made the discovery. He said he had unearthed a gold coin and a sixpence in the morning, before leaving the pub for Sunday lunch.

For three days, he and two of his friends surveyed the area near the pub. They managed to discover 1,061 silver coins with a metal detector, after 3 days of no rest and fear of being deprived of their find by nighthawks. They are illegal detectorists who have previously targeted many historic sites. Mahoney feared his discovery would be sold onto the black market by unscrupulous dealers.

The first piece the treasure hunters found was a Carlos I coin. Then the metal detector gave another signal and another and another. After ten minutes of searching, they noticed a massive signal. They dug into the ground and found a pot full of coins. 

He reported the find to local authorities and then stayed on alert for three nights to make sure looters stayed away. 

The Treasure is Thought to be Worth at Least £100,000

Experts and historians believe they were minted during the English Civil War (1642-1651). They were likely buried by a wealthy landowner who had gone off to fight in the War. Nigel Mills, an international coin specialist at Dix Noonan Webb, believes the coins will be sold at auction for a minimum of £100,000. The earliest coin dates back to 1573-78 and belongs to the Elizabeth I era. 

Luke Mahoney, an owner of Joan Allen Electrics, is encouraging more people to pursue his beloved hobby.

He attributes his success to Minelab Equinox 800, the metal detector he was using. Mahoney has spent 10 years searching for hidden treasure and he calls it the biggest hoard of his life. 

Upon the discovery of his greatest treasure, Mahoney immediately contacted the local Finds Liaison Officer. It is currently evaluating the coins, and declared the treasure to the coroner, as required by the British law.

Mahoney said he wanted the coins to go to a local museum.