Buckle
Anyone taking up detecting as a hobby speedily realises that good finds can be few and far between. Most newcomers have to fight their way through buttons, ring-pulls, lead and other bits of scrap metal before they unearth anything decent.
Amongst the better finds are such things as buckles. The majority are fairly modern but it’s not unusual for them to be old or very old. Here is a buckle that came in from Glyn Peak.
Glyn’s find is large (about 60mm at its widest point) and in unusually good condition. It has integrally cast decoration on the face and the back is hollowed out, to reduce the weight and the amount of metal needed to cast it. Buckles of this type are usually dated to the 16th or 17th century but I lean towards the later date..
Valuation
In auction sales I’ve seen groups of buckles put together and sold as a single lot. Perhaps this is to be expected, for over the years detectorists have unearthed a huge number. Glen’s buckle is large and in well above average condition but as they aren’t widely collected I’d give it a price range no higher than £12 – £15.
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