A METAL detectorist who unearthed one of the largest ever hoard of Iron Age coins in Britain and decided to keep 23 of them as a “memento” will have his metal detector destroyed. Groundworker Shane Wood, 62, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford, Essex in September last year. Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court that “avid birdwatcher” Wood saw a feather fall from a buzzard and noticed a gold item in the field where it landed. Wood went home to fetch his metal detector and made the discovery, placing the coins into a bin liner. Mr Petchey said that the horde of 933 Iron Age gold Staters was “likely to be if not the largest then the second largest such find in Britain”.
Police became involved and officers who searched Wood’s house found 23 Iron Age coins.
“He admitted he knew the coins were treasure and he shouldn’t have kept the coins,” said Mr Petchey.
Simon Nicholls, mitigating for Wood, said: He had no idea what they were worth but he just thought given the fact he’d handed over hundreds to the landowner he would keep some as a memento.
He said Wood reported the treasure find to a man he believed to be the landowner but actually “merely has permission to keep horses on the land”.
“What (Wood) didn’t appreciate is that as the finder of the items on the land the obligation is to notify the coroner himself within a prescribed time,” said Mr Nicholls.
A METAL detectorist who unearthed a hoard of ancient coins and decided to keep some as a “memento” will have his metal detector destroyed, a court has ordered. Groundworker Shane Wood, 62, of Hanningfield Road, Great Baddow, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford in September last year. Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court “avid birdwatcher” Wood saw a feather fall from a buzzard and noticed a gold item in the field where it landed. Wood went home to fetch his metal detector and made the discovery, placing the coins into a bin liner. Mr Petchey said the horde of 933 Iron Age gold Staters was “likely to be if not the largest then the second largest such find in Britain”.
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image copyrightJoe Giddens/PA Wire
image captionShane Wood admitted failing to notify the coroner about his find and of the theft of 23 of the coins
A man who found more than 900 Iron Age coins will have his metal detector destroyed as punishment for keeping 23 of them as a memento .
Shane Wood, 62, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford, Essex, in September last year.
Wood admitted the theft of 22 Staters and one quarter Stater, worth an estimated £9,850 to £12,350.
He was sentenced at Chelmsford Magistrates Court to 200 hours unpaid work on an 18-month community order.
Wood, of Hanningfield Road, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, also pleaded guilty to failing to notify the coroner of the find under the Treasure Act 1996, and was ordered to pay £200 to the court.
By Press Association 2021
Shane Wood and Kim Holman court case
A metal detectorist who unearthed one of the largest ever hoard of Iron Age coins in Britain and decided to keep 23 of them as a “memento” will have his metal detector destroyed.
Groundworker Shane Wood, 62, found the treasure while on a walk in Chelmsford, Essex, in September last year.
Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court that “avid birdwatcher” Wood saw a feather fall from a buzzard and noticed a gold item in the field where it landed.
Wood went home to fetch his metal detector and made the discovery, placing the coins into a bin liner.