500-year-old Gold coin found by an amateur treasure hunter

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500-year-old coin that may have been dropped by one of Richard III's soldiers fleeing the Battle of Bosworth Field is found by an amateur treasure hunter

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5092541/500-year-old-coin-amateur-treasure-hunter.html

An amateur metal detector struck gold when she stumbled across a rare 500-year-old coin near one of England's most historic battlefields.

The coin, minted during the doomed reign of King Richard III, is one of only a handful still in existence.

Experts speculate the gold coin may have been dropped by one of Richard's soldiers fleeing the pivotal Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Richard III was killed in the battle and his opponent, Henry Tudor, seized the throne to begin the Tudor dynasty.

Michelle Vall, from Blackpool, was detecting close to Bosworth Field when she dug up the old coin called a half angel. 

It is now set fetch £15,000 ($20,000) at Dix Noonan Webb's auction of coins, historical medals and paper money on 13 December.

Ms Vall, 51, made the rare discovery in Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, during a charity detecting rally in  September.

The teaching assistant said: 'After detecting for two and a half hours in a farmer's field I got a signal.

'The coin was deep down, about 16 inches below the surface, and the soil there is thick clay so it took a bit of digging out.

'I spotted this glint of gold in the hole, although I obviously did not know exactly what it was at first.

'I put it in the palm of my hand and then I went back to the organiser's tent. One of them identified it and people became very excited.


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