November 2006 Archives
Win a 12 Month Subscription to Searcher Magazine
Posted by ricey on November 27, 2006 7:19 PM
Last Christmas I held my first competition for the best Cartoon Caption Competition. It was a huge success with hundreds of detectorists and friends coming up with some fantastic captions. The prize last year was a signed copy of Bill Wymans Book. After some work on the cartoon below I spoke to Searcher Magazine who so very kindly offered a 12 Month Subscription to their magazine as the prize. They couldn't have been more supportive and really wanted to give something to the hobby.
What is either Santa or Rudolph thinking or saying as they travel along on Xmas Eve??
The competition will run until 24th December 2006. I will then judge the winner. The cartoon and winning caption will appear in the next edition of Searcher so keep an eye out for it.
All entries must be sent to xmascompetition@googlemail.com or on the sticky post on www.ukdetectornet.co.uk GOOD LUCK
All my other cartoons can be viewed
Here
If you'd like to pop along along to look at Searchers new site go along to
Here
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Norfolk Tokens from the Collection of the Late Keith Freeman
Posted by ricey on November 25, 2006 10:03 AM
Norfolk Tokens from the Collection of the Late Keith Freeman
Please note that images are not actual size.
The 30 November auction will include the collection of nearly 300 Norfolk tokens formed by the late Keith Freeman. Formed over many years, the collection is strong in 17th century issues. They were mostly acquired from local dealers and country auctions during the 1970s and 1980s, though some scarcer pieces were purchased from the London dealers A.H. Baldwin and B.A. Seaby. There are also a few rare tokens from the T.A. Jan collection sold at Spink in February 1983 and April 1984 and the D.L. Cornell collection sold at Christie’s, 18 February 1986.
Keith Freeman, well known for being ‘a straight man in horse-racing’, was renowned the world over as one of the most successful bloodstock agents of the post-war era. Among the many people he advised and selected horses for were Her Majesty the Queen, H.H. the Aga Khan, and Sir Winston Churchill. He considered the sourcing and collecting of tokens relating to his native county Norfolk a wonderfully interesting hobby to offset the stress of his work, and derived a somewhat fascinated pleasure locating the tokens and imagining the circumstances in which they were used.
Among the 17th century tokens are the following:
Aldeby, Phillip Robarts (W.2), some spots of corrosion otherwise very fine, rare
Bawdeswell, Thomas Bowrne 1667 (W.11), some spots of corrosion otherwise nearly very fine, very rare
East Harling, John Hilton 1660 (W.39), fine, rare
East Harling, Thomas Young (W.-), only good but legible, very rare
Forncett St Peter, Robert Plowman 1668 (W.46 var.), very fine, very rare
Hingham, William Rix 1659 (W.56), small crack, otherwise about very fine, rare
Loddon, Henry Burrough 1667 (W.61), very fine, rare
Lynn Regis, John Howard 1660 (W.87 var.), good fine, rare
New Buckenham, Francis Watts 1657 (W.109), good fine, rare
Norwich, Thomas Greene 1658 (W.146), about very fine, rare
Norwich, John Mayes 1667 ()W.168), good fine, rare
Norwich, Mathew Soulter (W.202), very fine, rare
Article and images courtesy of http://www.spink.com
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World's Largest Gold Coronation Medal, Originally Produced by Spink, Returns for Sale
Posted by ricey on November 24, 2006 6:31 PM
World's Largest Gold Coronation Medal, Originally Produced by Spink, Returns for Sale
On 30th November 2006 Spink will offer the magnificent Gold Coronation Medal 1911, from the King Farouk Collection. The world’s largest gold coronation medal, and one of the largest gold medals of any description ever made, has reappeared on the market after 50 years. It is estimated at £12,000-15,000
This patriotic and beautiful medal was designed by the eminent British Artist, Frank Bowcher and produced by Spink. It is believed that only one gold example of the large 1911 Coronation medal was created. The ornate brochure that accompanied the Coronation medal in 1911 can be found in the Spink archives with the original order form [pictures available]. In the brochure there is a letter from Arthur Bigge of Buckingham Palace to the Managing Director of Spink dated 25th March:
Dear Sir,
The specimen medals which you forwarded to me yesterday have been submitted to the King, who thought they were very good, and His Majesty expressed his approval of their design and execution.
Yours very faithfully,
(signed) Arthur Bigge
The King Farouk Collection
The medal was last seen at the famous ‘Palace Collections of Egypt’ sale in 1954. The coins and medals section of this mammoth auction stretched for nine days between 24th February and 6th March. The collection of many thousands of coins, medals and banknotes totaled an astounding 2798 lots. The lotting, cataloguing, viewing and the auction itself were all undertaken with considerable haste under less than ideal conditions in the Kouddeb Palace, Cairo. The cataloguers were not allowed to remove any of the coins for research and the photographs were taken under very precarious conditions. The introduction states ‘Those responsible for the preparation of the plates found that the taking of accurate plaster casts of coins was impossible in Cairo for technical reasons; they had to resort to technical photography.’ The writing of the catalogue and the viewing took place under intense security with armed guards standing at every entrance and guards with drawn scimitars standing inside some of the rooms. Legends about this curious time are plenty and it is even said that guards would amuse themselves by playing football with the Faberge eggs up for sale.
The conditions under which people participated in the auction were like no auction before or to come. One had to pay to view, and leave a deposit one day in advance against items they wished to bid on (or have a letter of guaranteed funds from a local bank) and no lots were returnable. This was a situation in which everything had to be sold.
The Bowcher gold medal was lot 2653 described as:
‘England, George V and Mary, issued at the time of the Coronation 1911, by F. Bowcher, rev. Coronation scene, GOD SAVE THE KING above, HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 1911, wt. 764 grms. Extremely fine and very rare, marked No. 1 on edge.’
The medal sold for £457 (£435, plus 5% surcharge).
Story and image courtesy of http://www.spink.com
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One of the World's Most Famous Coins to be Exhibited by Spink
Posted by ricey on November 24, 2006 6:27 PM
A British Crown of Charles II, dated 1663, is set to go on display at Spink in London to coincide with the opening of Spink’s newly designed ground floor showroom at the end of November.
The coin is part of the Geoffrey Cope Collection and was originally purchased from the prestigious sale of The Slaney Collection at Spink on 15 May 2003. It is thought to be one of the most magnificent coins in existence and is so highly desired that an offer of over £1,000,000 has reportedly been refused by the present owner reflecting the current strength of the market for rare coins.
This masterpiece is the creation of an audacious and creative engraver, Thomas Simon. Following the Restoration of the Monarchy Charles II ordered trials for a milled coinage from the newly appointed Dutch engravers at the Royal Mint. Simon, aggrieved that he had not been given the commission, was determined to win the King over and be chosen as the official designer with his clever concepts.
Thomas Simon engraved the dies for this fabulously detailed Crown featuring an arresting depiction of Charles II’s bust on the obverse with “Simon” engraved just below the King’s clothed neckline. The most spectacular details on the coin are the “Petition” of two hundred raised letters in two lines around the coin’s rim which is only 35mm in depth which reads:
THOMAS SIMON MOST HVMBLY PRAYS YOVR MAJESTY TO COMPARE THIS HIS TRYALL PIECE WITH THE DVTCH AND IF MORE TRVLY DRAWN & EMBOSS’D MORE GRACE; FVLLY ORDER’D AND MORE ACCURATELY ENGRAVEN TO RELIEVE HIM
The “Petition” Crown was presented at the King’s court, an incident recorded by Samuel Pepys in his diary. Simon’s exquisite engraving and extraordinary workmanship, however did not win the King’s favour although the execution is far superior to that of the accepted design. This is perhaps because Charles was indebted to the Dutch engravers for the financial support they had given him during his exile in the Netherlands before the collapse of the Commonwealth.
Simon met an unfortunate early demise in the Great Plague of 1665, however his coin remains as a truly magnificent piece of art. Spink are pleased to have the opportunity to display this piece of numismatic history in our showroom for a limited period of time only.
Story and image courtesy of http://www.spink.com
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Forgotten Victoria Cross Sells for £120,750
Posted by ricey on November 24, 2006 6:24 PM
Forgotten Victoria Cross Sells for £120,750
Today Spink sold the Victoria Cross awarded to Private W. Mariner for £120,750. The packed room saw a total of five bidders, three in the room and two on the phone, compete to purchase the item. An anonymous buyer in the room was the successful bidder.
The medal was found by the previous owners whilst clearing the effects of a recently deceased relative. Imagine their surprise at rediscovering an item hidden away for over 60 years which today realised an outstanding price.
The story behind the Victoria Cross is a heroic tale, as once told in the London Gazette on the 23rd June 1916:
‘No.2052 Private William Mariner, 2nd Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps. During a violent thunderstorm on the night of May 22, 1915, he left his trench near Cambrin, and crept out through the German wire entanglements till he reached the emplacement of a German machine-gun which had been damaging our parapets and hindering our working parties. After climbing on top of the German parapet he threw a bomb in under the roof of the German gun emplacement and heard some groaning and the enemy running away. After about quarter of an hour he heard some of them coming back again, and climbed up on the other side of the emplacement and threw another bomb among them left-handed. He then lay still while the Germans opened a heavy fire on the wire entanglement behind him, and it was only after about an hour that he was able to crawl back to his own trench. Before starting out he had requested a sergeant to open fire on the enemy's trenches as soon as he had thrown his bombs. Rifleman Mariner was out alone for one and a half hours carrying out this gallant work.
About Spink
Spink is the world’s leading auctioneer of coins, stamps, medals and banknotes. Since its foundation in 1666, the Spink name has become synonymous with tradition, experience and integrity. Holders of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offer an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide. Spink is headquartered in London and hold over 35 auctions a year around the globe. In June 2006 Spink shattered the world record for a British Coin sold at auction with the sale of the Double Leopard Gold Coin for a staggering £460,000.
Spink Live
Launched on the 11th July 2006, Spink is pleased to offer our bespoke bidding service, Spink Live. This enables you not only to bid real time but to leave an absentee bid in any of our forthcoming auctions; whilst online you can also see and hear the auctioneer through our remarkably user friendly and efficient software.
Since its launch, Spink Live has so far revolutionized the way in which people bid at auction. Spink is thrilled to offer this new platform for our clients so that they may enjoy adding to their collection from the comfort of their homes or anywhere else on the globe they may be. It is believed to the only service of its kind in the world of collectables.
Story and photo courtesy of www.spink.com
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SILVER BOOTY PICKED UP ON A BOOT
Posted by ricey on November 24, 2006 12:36 PM
By Martin Neville
A TREASURE hunter picked up a valuable find on his boot that his metal detector missed during a dig.
Brian Hawkes, a member of the IW Metal Detecting Club, discovered a silver Roman coin caked in mud on the tip of his boot. He had been walking through a muddy field with his metal detector on a club dig when he made his discovery.
"The rain was pouring down and when you are walking across a ploughed field you do pick up a lot of mud on your boot," said Mr Hawkes, 60, of Pineview Drive, Carisbrooke.
"Every few paces I was stopping and shaking the earth from my foot and I noticed the coin on my toe. I must have missed it with the metal detector and it somehow found its way on to my boot.
"Sometimes you see them on top of the soil but this is the first time the find has found me."
Minted in Rome, the coin dates back to 108 AD and depicts Emperor Trajan on one side and the goddess Venus on the other.
Mr Hawkes, a founder member of the club, said the coin was in excellent condition.
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Medieval Ring found by a fellow detectorist
Posted by ricey on November 17, 2006 1:21 PM
I thought I'd share a photograph of a stunning Medieval Ring found by a fellow detectorist recently in East Scotland. It dates from the 15th Century according to the Museum and is a known type. It has traces of black enamel and inscribed * into * ramenberans* its interesting to note the shape/type of the buckle used in the ring, is similar to the medieval buckles we find today.
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Tiny Saxon status symbol is declared treasure
Posted by ricey on November 17, 2006 8:40 AM
Trinket just 14mms square was worn as a declaration of wealth.
A tiny decoration which could have adorned the sword belt of a high-ranking Saxon warrior has been declared treasure at an inquest in Bedford.
The early medieval sword mount was unearthed by metal detectorist Bryan Hewitson in Harrold in March.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Coroner David Morris said the artefact had been found to be made up of more than ten per cent silver, and was more than 300 years old.
That meant it qualified as "treasure" under both the prescribed criteria, and is therefore the property of the Crown.
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Roman ship thrills archaeologists
Posted by ricey on November 16, 2006 2:48 PM
A Roman ship, wrecked off the coast of Spain in the 1st Century AD, has been dazzling archaeologists with the array of historical treasures on board.
Thirty metres (100ft) long and holding 400 tonnes, it is the largest Roman ship found in the Mediterranean.
Chief amongst the goods the ship was carrying were hundreds of jars of garum - a fish sauce which was a favourite condiment for rich Romans.
It was accidentally discovered in 2000 by sailors whose anchor snagged a jar.
The ship is in great condition and extremely accessible - lying in just 25m of water, and 1.5km (one mile) from the coast of Valencia.
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'Moles' February Metal Detecting Rally
Posted by ricey on November 16, 2006 10:10 AM
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'Moles' December Charity Rally
Posted by ricey on November 16, 2006 10:04 AM
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Metal Detecting Rally 19th November 2006 - Acton in Cheshire
Posted by ricey on November 16, 2006 9:46 AM
The Crew and Nantwich MDC have organised a rally in a place called Acton.
It starts at 9-30 'till 4-30 ish. A fee of £5-00 will be charged.
DIRECTIONS......
Take the A49 to Nantwich. When you pass the "RED FOX" pub, the road then changes to the A51. A few miles on the right you will pass an old church, then a pub called the "STAR INN", you should see the rally signs close to the pub.
Have a good day out, and rember to fill your holes in.
PS...When traveling on the A51, you will come to a cross road where the A51 takes a left turn, you need to go staight ahead for Acton.
**As usual I am just the messenger boy and have no involvement in the organisation of the rally**
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Roman treasure goes on display
Posted by ricey on November 14, 2006 3:45 PM
A small hoard of silver Roman coins will be put on temporary exhibition at the City Museum. The five coins, of the Emperors Constantius II and Julian, date from the middle of the 4th century AD. They were found in a pile, in a deposit that had formed over derelict Roman buildings on the site of Silchester Place, Hyde Street.
The term siliqua is the modern name given to small, thin, Roman silver coins produced from 4th century and later. The coins would have been quite valuable in their day, although it is difficult to be exact, because of fluctuating prices in the 4th century, but a siliqua might have bought around 10lbs of pork, 80 loaves of bread, 2 pints of olive oil or 8 pints of wine. The 6th century Emperor Justinian reckoned to feed a Roman soldier in Egypt for a year on the equivalent of about 120 siliquae.
Curator of Archaeology for Winchester City Council's museums service Helen Rees confesses to be puzzled why such a small number of coins would have been hidden in this way, "Perhaps someone lost their purse, or maybe the coins were buried for good luck as we would now throw coins in a fountain. If so, it was rather expensive good luck!"
Cllr Patricia Stallard, Winchester City Council's portfolio holder for culture, heritage and sport, said, "I am pleased that Winchester people will have an opportunity to see these coins. We cannot display everything in our extensive collections, but we do like to show people the latest finds and I am sure this acquisition will be of interest."
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THE FAMED 1933 DOUBLE EAGLE BRINGS $7.6 MILLION AT AUCTION
Posted by ricey on November 14, 2006 1:34 PM
This is an old story but certainly one worth repeating.
Over the months I have reported on English Coins in the UK found by metal Detectorists selling for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Now let us compare this with a US coin which sold a few years ago for $7.6 Million. Our friends over the pond always seem to go one better:-)
PART 1)
New York, NY – February 7, 2002 – On July 30, 2002 Sotheby’s and Stack’s will offer for sale for the first time, on the behalf of the United States Government, the most valuable gold coin in the world, the fabled and elusive 1933 Double Eagle twenty dollar gold coin. This is the first time that the United States Government has authorized private ownership of a 1933 Double Eagle. After it was struck in 1933, President Roosevelt, in one of his first acts as President, took the United States off the gold standard in an effort to help the struggling American economy out of the Great Depression. All of the 1933 Double Eagles were ordered destroyed, but ten specimens are known to have escaped into private hands. However, as they had never been officially “issued” as United States coinage, they cannot be legally owned. As a result, nine of the ten specimens were seized by, or turned in to, the United States Secret Service in the 1940s and 50s and were subsequently destroyed. The remaining 1933 Double Eagle, which will be offered, surfaced in 1996 and was seized by the United States Secret Service. The coin was returned to the United States Mint as a result of the Department of Justice’s settlement of a forfeiture action, and in that landmark legal settlement, this one coin became the only 1933 Double Eagle now or ever authorized for private ownership by the United States Government. The coin will be sold in a single lot auction at Sotheby’s York Avenue premises in New York on July 30, 2002, and carries an estimate of $4/6 million.“This storied coin has been the center of international numismatic intrigue for more than seventy years, said Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. “The Mint has certified the authenticity of this legendary 1933 Double Eagle. We will officially transfer full, legal ownership of the coin to the highest bidder at this historic sale.”
“We expect that this coin may become the most valuable coin in the world and one of the most sought-after rarities in history” said David Pickens, Associate Director, United States Mint.
David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby’s, and Lawrence R. Stack, Managing Director of Stack’s, said, “The story of this coin is one of the great numismatic mysteries of all time whose final chapter will be written with this auction. Currently held at United States Gold Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, the coin has an intriguing history which includes seizure by the United States Government, a five-year trial with a landmark resolution and a possible connection to a royal Egyptian Collection dispersed in the 1950s. It is an enormous privilege to be asked by the United States Government to undertake the sale of the ‘Holy Grail’ of the coin collecting world.”
1933 Double Eagles
The twenty dollar gold coin, known as a Double Eagle, was a child of the California Gold Rush, and the massive shipments of ore sent back East. The first Double Eagles were issued to the public in 1850. In 1907, at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, the denomination was radically redesigned by famed American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. These were struck until 1933 when production of the Double Eagle was discontinued along with all other United States gold coins as a result of Executive Order 6260 issued by President Franklin Roosevelt which, in an effort to aid the struggling American economy, prohibited banks from paying out gold. According to the United States Government, any Double Eagle struck in 1933 could not be legally owned, because none were officially released to the public. In early 1944, prior to the government’s discovery of the missing 1933 Double Eagles, the Royal Legation of Egypt presented a 1933 Twenty Dollar Double Eagle to the Treasury Department, seeking a license to export the coin to Egypt for King Farouk’s collection. The export license was required for virtually all gold coins under the extensive gold restrictions that had been in effect since March of 1933. Not yet recognizing the significance of an unissued 1933 coin, the Department of the Treasury inadvertently issued the export license and the King Farouk specimen was exported out of the United States. Within weeks Government officials came to recognize the significance of the 1933 Double Eagle, and discovered the existence of nine other 1933 Double Eagles that illegally left the Mint without ever being issued. Over the next ten years, these nine 1933 Double Eagles were seized or voluntarily turned in to the Department of the Treasury, and were subsequently destroyed.
Possible King Farouk Provenance
In 1954, a 1933 Double Eagle appeared at auction in Cairo, Egypt; Sotheby’s, acting on behalf of the new Republic of Egypt, was selling the astonishing collections assembled by the deposed King Farouk. King Farouk was one of the greatest coin collectors of all time, though it was not until this auction that the world learned of his remarkable achievement – the collection comprised more than 8,500 gold coins and the sale itself took nine days. Lot 185 in that auction contained a 1933 Double Eagle. Learning of the offering, the United States Treasury successfully requested that the coin be withdrawn from the sale. After this, the whereabouts of the coin remained a mystery for nearly half a century. It has been suggested, in sworn depositions, that the present coin is the King Farouk coin, and there is significant evidence that it was part of the famed collection, including the fact that no other 1933 Double Eagle is known to exist or has ever been identified.
The location of the present coin, since its minting in 1933, had been a mystery until 1996 when it was seized at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York as respected and leading British coin dealer, Stephen Fenton, attempted to sell it to Secret Service agents who were posing as coin collectors. The legal proceedings which lasted five years, ultimately resulting in a ground-breaking settlement which specifically allows this particular Double Eagle, nearly seventy years after its production, to be the only 1933 Double Eagle permitted to be privately owned.
The Auction
Part of the intrigue surrounding the coin is the fact that it has existed in limbo for nearly seventy years. In the eyes of the United States Treasury, up until now, the coin has had no monetary value and its possession could result in a possible imprisonment. Associate Director Pickens confirmed, “upon auction the coin will be officially released for private ownership and it will become official U.S. coinage. At the sale, the final purchase price will be increased by $20, which will go to the United States Treasury General Fund. In other words, the United States Government will be “issuing” one 1933 Double Eagle for the first (and only) time at this historic sale.”
The new owner of the coin will be given an official Certificate of Transfer that makes the coin legal to own. Given the complex issues surrounding the elusive 1933 Double Eagle, this Certificate of Transfer, will be itself historically significant.
Sotheby’s and Stack’s
This sale represents a partnership of Sotheby’s, whose history of coin auctions stretches back to 1755, and Stack’s, an American numismatic firm whose first coin sale was held in 1935. Most recently, in October 2001, Sotheby’s and Stack’s worked together to sell the fabled Dallas Bank Collection for $7.8 million.
PART 2) The Sale
New York, NY - July 30, 2002 - Tonight Sotheby's and Stack's made auction history with the sale of the most valuable gold coin in the world, the fabled and elusive 1933 Double Eagle twenty dollar gold coin, for the remarkable price of $7.59 million, a record for any coin sold at auction. There was repeated applause as over 500 spectators in Sotheby's saleroom watched eight bidders battle for over five minutes driving the price from an opening bid of $2.5 million to the final world record, a price which swept away the old record for a coin of $4.1 million paid for an 1804 Silver Dollar. The successful buyer, who has asked to remain anonymous, bid over the phone through Sotheby's Books and Manuscripts specialist Selby Kiffer. The sale, which was conducted on the behalf of the United States Government, marked the first time that the United States Government has authorized private ownership of a 1933 Double Eagle. At the conclusion of the auction, Henrietta Holsman Fore, Director of the United States Mint, signed a Certificate of Monetization turning the coin into legal United States tender, the first time the United States Government has ever monetized a coin in this way. The coin had been estimated to bring $4/6 million.The 1933 Double Eagle achieved its status as one of the great rarities of world coinage due to the fact that in 1933, President Roosevelt, in one of his first acts as President, took the United States off the gold standard in an effort to help the struggling American economy out of the Great Depression. All of the 1933 Double Eagles were ordered destroyed, but ten specimens are known to have escaped into private hands. However, as they had never been officially "issued" as United States coinage, they could not be legally owned. As a result, nine of the ten specimens were seized by, or turned in to, the United States Secret Service in the 1940s and 50s and were subsequently destroyed. The remaining 1933 Double Eagle had surfaced in 1996 and been seized by the United States Secret Service. It was returned to the United States Mint as a result of the Department of Justice's settlement of a forfeiture action, and in that landmark legal settlement, this one coin became the only 1933 Double Eagle now or ever authorized for private ownership by the United States Government.
"With today's sale, one of the great numismatic rarities of all time enters another stage in its remarkable history, becoming legal tender after having intrigued the world of collectors for more than seventy years", said Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore.
David Redden, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's, said: "With today's record price, the famed 1933 Double Eagle has transcended its position as one of the most sought-after numismatic treasures of all time to become one of the great objects of Americana ever sold at auction. It was an enormous privilege to have been asked by the United States Government to undertake the sale of the 'Holy Grail' of the coin collecting world."
Images and story courtesy of Sothebys.com
For More Information, Please Contact Sotheby's Press Office, 212 606 7176
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Axe heads finder looks set for a windfall
Posted by ricey on November 14, 2006 1:22 PM
Metal detective Stephen Barrass could be in line for a windfall after discovering two Bronze Age axe heads in a field near his home.
Mr Barrass, a 41-year-old factory worker from Delves Lane, Consett, had been metal detecting for three years with hardly any success, until he found the 3,000-year-old artefacts - believed to have been a religious offering - just 10 inches below the surface of a field at nearby Castleside.
At an inquest in Chester-le-Street yesterday North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle formally declared the findings to be treasure. They are currently waiting to be valued at the British Museum.
Whatever experts declare to be their value will then be divided as a "reward" between Mr Barrass and the owner of the land.
Mr Tweddle said he was not prepared to reveal at the hearing the exact location of the find, "because we don't want coachloads of metal detectives descending upon it".
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Ringlemere Gold Cup Exhibition
Posted by ricey on November 13, 2006 11:42 AM
For those of you who have yet to see for yourself one of the most talked about finds of 2001, thr Ringlemere Gold Cup, it will be on dispaly in Dover Museum from October 17th 2006
The Ringlemere Gold Cup was found near Woodnesborough and is almost 4000 years old. It was declared a national treasure and acquired by the British Museum in London in 2002. The British Museum is to loan the cup to Dover Museum for a special exhibition to accompany the equally spectacular 3600 year old Bronze Age Boat found in Dover in 1992. The cup will return to the British Museum at the end of February.
The display of the Ringlemere Cup is part of the celebrations of Bronze Age culture taking place in Dover on the weekend of October 21 and 22. A major academic conference on the Bronze Age is being held at the Dover Cruise Terminal with speakers attending from all over the world, including specialists from Germany, France, Ireland, Belgium and the USA as well as from all over Britain. There will also be a public activity day at Dover Museum on Saturday 21, with demonstrations of gold working, flint knapping and other Bronze Age crafts.
Cllr Mrs Nicholas, DDC Cabinet Member for Housing and Community, said: "We are delighted that the Ringlemere Cup is returning to our district from October 17 to the end of February, and that this will enable the residents of the Dover District to view this wonderful part of their heritage."
The Ringlemere Gold Cup c.1950 - 1750 BC
In November 2001 Cliff Bradshaw was metal-detecting at Ringlemere Farm, Woodnesborough, near Sandwich, when he discovered a 3800 year-old Bronze Age gold cup.
It was a find of both national and international importance, with only six others ever found in Europe. They would have been highly valuable objects and their deliberate burial in graves or at ceremonial sites represents the giving up of a great deal of wealth by the person or community that owned them.
From its style it is likely that the cup was made in southern Britain but the gold it is made from would have come from continental Europe, Western Britain or Ireland and was probably bought to the area by a boat like the Dover Bronze Age Boat. It is made of 184 grams (6 ½ ounces) of sheet gold, alloyed with about 20% silver. The handle was made separately and riveted on.
The cup was declared Treasure and the market value of the cup awarded jointly to Cliff Bradshaw and the landowner. It was purchased by the British Museum with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund, National Art Collections Fund and the British Museum Friends.
The Ringlemere Henge
Although there were no known archaeological sites in the Ringlemere area, this highly important cup had surely been buried in some kind of ancient monument and the site needed investigating.
Excavations have shown the site to be complex, with a round mound built inside an earlier and much rarer ceremonial site called a Henge.
The Henge was built around 2600 BC (Late Neolithic) and consisted of a circular enclosure, bounded by a large ditch and bank with a single entrance. It was rather like Stonehenge, but at Ringlemere the structures were of wood rather than stone. The Henge was over 50 metres (164 feet) in diameter and had a small timber building or shrine at the centre.
About 2000 BC (Early Bronze Age), a large barrow mound was placed inside the old enclosure, burying the original shrine, and a new timber structure built on top. Later, a wood-lined pit was dug into the mound next to the timber structure. The gold cup, an object of great rarity and worth, was buried in this pit, together with an amber pendant and some worked flints.The prehistoric monument lay abandoned throughout Iron Age and Roman times but when the Anglo-Saxons arrived in about AD 450, they established a large cemetery on the site containing at least 50 graves. Ringlemere is just west of Woodnesborough near Sandwich and about 10 miles north of Dover.
Image and Press Article courtesy of Dover Museum.
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Historic stone back home on moors
Posted by ricey on November 13, 2006 11:20 AM
Museum officers have left no stone unturned to get a prehistoric rock back to its moorland home.
The Heygate stone with its intricate carved cup and rings returns to Baildon Moor this weekend after a five-year absence to go on permanent public view at Brackenhall Countryside Centre.
The stone, which dates back around 5,000 years, was discovered by chance in 2001 by a local landowner out walking in his field.
Two years later the man - who was legally entitled to keep the find - donated it to Bradford Council's Museums, Galleries and Heritage Service for safe-keeping.
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And tomorrow people will get a chance to get up close to the stone which measures around 60cms high and 45cms wide.
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This weeks 'old saying'
Posted by ricey on November 13, 2006 11:07 AM
GETTING BOMBED
A bombard is a leather jug which holds 8 pints or 4 quarts. A full bombard of ale would make you drunk.
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"hi there it was nice to meet you in person i was ..."
"Hi Steve, great find, my wife &I made the journey ..."
"Nice one Steve! Regards, Peter...."