Silver Roman coin found by detectorist expected to fetch up to £6,000 at auction

A silver coin unearthed by a metal detectorist in a field he had been visiting for more than 20 years is expected to fetch up to £6,000 at auction.

Retired builder Paul Capewell described the Roman coin as his “most exciting find so far”.

The 59-year-old of Selston in Nottinghamshire began his hobby with his father more than 40 years ago.

He discovered the silver coin, issued by the Emperor Trajan in AD 107 after he had recalled all the worn Republican coins from circulation, in a field in the village of Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire, in November 2022.

Retired builder Paul Capewell had been visiting the same field in Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire, with his metal detector for more than 20 years before making the find (Paul Capewell/PA)

“I have been visiting the same field for more that 20 years and have discovered a few Roman and Medieval coins, but this is my most exciting find so far,” said Mr Capewell.

The coin is to be sold at auction at Noonans Mayfair in London as part of a sale of Ancient Coins and Antiquities on Tuesday October 22.

Its pre-sale estimate is £5,000 to £6,000.

Describing the discovery of the coin, Mr Capewell said: “Using my Equinox 800 metal detector, I only found a few shotgun cartridges, so I decided to return to my car parked at the side of the field.

“Just five metres away from the car, I got a signal and at a depth of eight inches, I found a silver Roman coin.

“I did not realise just how rare the coin was until I showed photographs to a coin dealer, and it has now been recorded with the portable Antiquities Scheme.”

The coin to be sold at auction was issued by the Emperor Trajan in AD 107 after he had recalled all the worn Republican coins from circulation (Noonans/PA)

Nigel Mills, Coins and Artefacts Specialist at Noonans, said: “The coin was issued by the Emperor Trajan in AD 107 after he had recalled all the worn Republican coins from circulation and only two examples of this specific type have been recorded for sale in the last 25 years.

“Some of the coins in circulation dated back over 300 years and they provided a historical record of the achievements of the Roman Empire.

“Trajan issued a limited number of coins which recalled some of the events from the past.

“This coin uses the same imagery as an issue by the moneyer Titus Carisius in 46 BC.

“Titus was an ally of Julius Caesar, and this design features a bust of Juno Moneta on the obverse, with pincers, hammer and dies for striking coins on the reverse.

“A coin showing how a coin is made!”

Mr Capewell retired from the building trade after suffering a heart attack and is currently waiting for more surgery.

He plans to split the proceeds from the sale of the coin with the landowner and to spend his portion either on a new Minelab Manticore detector or to put towards his heart surgery.