REVIEW: ROMNEY MARSH HOARD OF EDWARD III (1327-77) NOBLES, 24 MAY 2022

As Phil and Joan Castle set out to explore a corner of Romney Marsh with their metal detectors in October 2018, they little knew that they were about to uncover a secret that had lain hidden for around 660 years.

As Phil and Joan Castle set out to explore a corner of Romney Marsh with their metal detectors in October 2018, they little knew that they were about to uncover a secret that had lain hidden for around 660 years.

The couple, who have been metal detecting together for over 30 years, discovered a small purse hoard of fourteenth-century Gold Nobles in Romney Marsh, Kent. Initially, Joan found a silver-gilt contemporary imitation of an Edward III Noble lying on the field’s surface in several fragments, another signal beside it in the soil revealed a Medieval purse bar at 8 inches down. Phil came over to help and immediately found a true Noble of Edward III, and over the next two hours an additional four similar coins were uncovered in an area of around 5 metres.

Apart from the forgery, all five gold coins are in an incredibly fresh state of preservation and must have been lost shortly after 1361. It is remarkable that the coins have avoided all but the most trifling surface marks and scuffs, a frequent characteristic of field-found hammered gold coins.

Upon discovery several of the coins were slightly bent or creased, and conservation work has been undertaken by our in-house expert Nigel Mills. Nigel gently straightened the Nobles using light manual pressure, and they retain much of their original colour and lustre. A broken suspension loop on the purse bar indicates that it was lost accidentally with the coins inside, probably much to the disappointment of its original owner. The group of Five Nobles, one contemporary imitation and brass purse bar was reported to the local Finds Liaison Officer who designated it as Treasure (T2018T845; PAS KENT-056190).

Expected to fetch £12,000-£15,000 At Noonans’ Coins & Historic Medals auction on May 24, it sold for £39,550.