A TREASURE hunter gained a top-notch metallic detector in a raffle — and used it to unearth a £23,000 hoard of silver cash three months later.
Mickey Richardson dug up 234 cash — believed to have been buried in 1644 throughout the Civil Conflict — in a muddy discipline.
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The novice handed the cash to a finds liaison officer however acquired them again as “finders keepers”.
He was “leaping up and down” as he watched on-line once they have been offered at London auctioneers Spink & Son for £18,500.
With charges, the worth was £23,000.
Mickey, of Bournemouth, should break up the proceeds with the landowner however plans to fund a vacation with spouse Rosalynd from his share.
The 63-year-old mentioned: “I solely took up the passion a couple of months earlier than and had a really primary metallic detector, however then entered the raffle and gained.
“A few months after that I acquired permission from the proprietor of land in Ansty the place there was a small mudhouse village and the place the fields have been used to develop hops to brew beer within the Napoleonic Wars.
“I had been there a few instances and located a copper coin however that was it.
“On the weekend I discovered the hoard I used to be nearly to name it a day once I acquired a robust sign and located a Charles I shilling.
“Then I swept the realm once more and acquired one other sign after which one other sign and one other.
“I simply couldn’t consider it. I dug up 74 silver cash on the primary day and was shattered afterwards.
“I went again the following morning considering it might be good to spherical it as much as 100 however discovered a complete of 234 cash unfold over a radius.
“They should have been struck by a plow and scattered throughout the sphere and I used to be the fortunate one who discovered them virtually 500 years later.
“It was a day I’ll always remember. I alerted the Finds Liaison Officer and the remainder is historical past.”
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