REVIEW: ANCIENT COINS AND ANTIQUITIES 8 MARCH

It was at a detector rally in Haconby in Lincolnshire in 2022 that Paul Shepheard was searching a stubble field with his wife Joanne. She had just found a Medieval penny and he was hoping his luck would change when he got a signal on his new XP Deus II.

Digging down 10 inches, he uncovered what he thought was a large steel split pin commonly used to retain wheels on farm carts, which Paul knew as he loved to restore farming equipment when he was younger.

After looking more closely, he saw the outline of a face and realised it was more significant. In fact, it was a bronze nude figure holding in his right hand an oversized phallus which is hinged for movement. 

As Nigel Mills, Specialist (Coins and Artefacts) at Noonans said: “Dating to the Celtic period from the 1st century AD, this is a representation of a fertility god, probably based on the Roman god Mercury as he is holding a purse in his left hand.” 

This figure would have had symbolic powers of good luck and warding off evil spirits and may have served as a locking mechanism as a buckle to hold a belt and scabbard for a sword.
"There is nothing quite like it, I am hoping it will attract a lot of attention.” 

His hopes were realised at the auction on 8 and 9 March when the 5.5cm high figure, which had been estimated £800-1,200, sold for £2,200.