5:23pm Thursday 4th September 2008
SEVEN historic discoveries were declared treasure yesterday (September 3) by a coroner in Winchester.
The highlight was 111 Roman coins found on a country estate near the city.
Michael Pond, from Christchurch, Dorset, found one batch of coins in October 2006 and then a second hoard last November on the Leckford estate, the inquest heard.
Some 76 are bronze and 35 are silver and are thought to have been dumped around 275AD.
The coins are currently being valued by the British Museum in London.
The other finds were: * a finely-preserved 13-14th century gold ring unearthed in Littleton by Charles Barstow, of Portal Road, Highcliffe, Winchester. Mr Barstow said: "I couldn't believe it when it came up out of the ground how perfect it was."
*a Henry II coin, dating from 1150-1180, made into a necklace or brooch and found in Vernham Dean near Andover by Jean Harding of Lewes Close, Boyatt Wood, Eastleigh. Mrs Harding said: "It is the only thing I have ever found."
*a 14th century silver scabberd found in March 2007 at Wonston by Mark Duell, of Peartree Avenue, Southampton.
*an Anglo-Saxon hooked tag discovered by Tim Chandler, of Horsham, at Crawley near Winchester in April 2007.
*a 16th century silver dress hook found by Dave Goss, of Wherwell, in Houghton, near Stockbridge in April 2007.
*a Bronze Age ring found in August 2004 in Headbourne Worthy by Cynthia Wise, of Darlington Gardens, Shirley, Southampton.
All the items were declared treasure. As such the British Museum or a local museum have the option to buy them, with the finder and landowner sharing the proceeds. If no museums are interested then the items return to the finder.
Robert Webley, finds liaison officer for Hampshire, said in recent years the numbers of finds reported by the public has risen steadily.
More than half are returned to the finders as no museum wants them.
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