The pieces were sold at auction on April 23, 2024 for the modest sum of 35,000 pounds, according to information from the Guardian.
A surprise under the concrete floor
Renovating your kitchen: a boring activity, which can weigh heavily on the daily mental load, requiring as much energy as financial investment… and yet, it can also be surprising and even remunerative! Especially when you find a real treasure there, like this couple from Dorset (a county in the South West of England).
Indeed, it was while removing the concrete floor in their kitchen, in order to add ceiling height, that Betty and Robert Fooks discovered more than 1000 coins in a glazed pottery bowl, 'after information relayed by the Guardian.
1000 pieces in a glazed pottery bowl
Betty Fooks told the British media outlet that their 400-year-old home needed several works, including the floor and ceiling. An element that the couple was well aware of when they decided to buy the house earlier in the year.
This National Health Service (NHS) health visitor explains that she was in her house with her children and husband. As they were digging with a pickaxe, she heard that they had found something.
“He put all the coins in a bucket. If we hadn't lowered the floor, they would still be hiding there. I assume the person [qui avait posé ces pièces] intended to get them back but never got the chance” she told the Guardian.
A buried hoard of #corners dating to the 16th and 17th centuries has been found during renovation work on a cottage. The cache of more than 1,000 gold and #silver coins was discovered under an earth floor at South Poorton, Dorset. via BBC News https://t.co/aCPFYLutFu
— American Numismatic (@ANACoins) April 29, 2024
A treasure of gold and silver
Following this find, the family decided to report the discovery to a local liaison officer, who sent the loot to the British Museum. Now known as the “Poorton Treasure” in honor of the Dorset village where the coins were found, the loot has been authenticated and analyzed.
You can find gold coins of James I and Charles I there, “silver half-crowns, shillings and sixpences; Elizabeth I and Philip and Mary shillings and sixpence silver” according to information from the Guardian.
We still do not know who or why would have deposited such loot in the floor of this house. On April 23, this collection was auctioned at 10:30 a.m. by Duke's Avenue Auctions.
Article originally published in May 2024
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
