While searching a new permission I received an interesting signal on my Equinox 800 using the 15” coil. It was a bit of a scratchy signal with a solid pure tone breaking through. Experience told me it could be something special, I knew I could not pass it by. I dug down with the sun shining on my back and searched the hole with my pin pointer, the target was deep down. It took me a while to locate it, I removed some dirt revealing an object that gleamed gold in the sunlight. I sat back and cherished the moment, that moment where you think it could be a golden object. I gently put my fingers underneath the object and gently removed it into the sunlight. I was shocked to see a golden coin revealing all its glory. Perfectly straight, details like it was dropped yesterday. I had to take a few moments, this was an unbelievable moment. After accepting it was indeed a gold coin, I realised Deep down it was a gold hammered coin. At the same time I could not accept it and called around a few friends. After hearing their reactions I knew for sure I had found a gold hammered coin. Once home I realised I was not able to find an ID. I sought the help of Adam Staples from Hansons Historica who was a great help and was able to ID the type of coin as a Dutch New Sun Crown minted in Holland 1579-1581. I was astounded to learn there were only 5 known examples, none of which were found with a metal detector, instead coming from old collections dating way back. Under close inspection I noticed differences on the legend and a couple of other things. I got in contact with Jeremy Cheek, ex curator of the royal coin collection. He immediately spotted many more differences. The shield was different, the Legend indeed differed and also the Mint Masters mark. I started to believe this was a unique coin. It took me many hours of research to prove this. Along the way I contacted Derek McLennan and his wife Sharon who are both Minelab Detexperts. They are a wealth of experience were very supportive in me pursuing this research. My break came when when I was given contact details for an expert on these very coins by a museum. The expert told me that there were only 5 know New Suncrown coins known and mine was a type that differed from them all. It is a coin that has never been seen before, completely unique, the only one of its type in the world. To find a gold hammered coin is for most, me included, a detectorist’s dream. To find a new type and rewrite a small part of history is incredible. I decided this coin was too big for a simple detectorist like myself to keep under lock and key. It should be shown and its story told. The coin is going up for auction with several museums paying an interest! Instagram: loam_sniffer
