Detecting in the News – February
A round-up of metal detecting stories in the press, with links to the original press article. You can comment on each article, where you see the green comment box.
News stories from previous months are available in the Detecting in the News Archive
February 2021
Finder of Celtic Chieftain’s Chariot Brooch talks about the find
Ray Pusey, a detectorist for 30 years, talks about the day he found the Celtic Chieftan’s Chariot Brooch, while out detecting in Buckinghamshire. He mentions that he almost didn’t go out detecting that day.
The brooch was auctioned by Hansons this week with a private UK buyer paying £71,500 to acquire the brooch. The pre-sale estimate was £6,000 – £8,000. You can read more about the auction in my report Hansons 2 Day Historica
Detectorist on Jersey finds rare bronze age spearhead
A detectorist named Jay Cornick found a rare bronze age spearhead on a Jersey beach in August 2020. Some of the wooden shaft was still present and this was dated to between 1207 BC and 1004 BC by the York Archaeological Trust.
The Bronze Age spearhead is now on display in a new-finds case at the Jersey Museum and Art Gallery.
Hansons auction 400 year-old ring found by a detectorist
The Daily Mail reports that a retired fishmonger, who has been detecting for 40 years found this 400-year-old gold seal ring. It is being auctioned by Hanson in their 2 day historica sale, beginning on 25 February.
It is the highlighted lot in my preview: Hansons Historica Auction 25 February
Detectorist finds Viking hoard on the Isle of Man
In late 2020, detectorist Kath Giles, pictured left, discovered a viking hoard that included a gold arm-ring, silver brooch and silver armbands. It has been described as internationally significant.
Kath said “I’m so thrilled to have found artefacts that are not only so important, but so beautiful“
The Manx National Heritage website, www.manxnationalheritage.im says that the “Kath Giles” hoard will go on display in the Viking and Medieval Gallery at the Manx Museum on Thursday 18 February.
Record UK total of treasure finds thanks to metal detectorists
Reported treasure finds in 2019 were a record 1,311. As shown in the graph below there has been a continuing upward trend in the number of reported treasure finds, principally thanks to the work of detectorists.
In 2018, there were 1,094 treasure finds of which 1,051 were discovered by metal detecting.
Caroline Dinenage, the culture minister said “The search for buried treasures by budding detectorists has become more popular than ever before and many ancient artefacts now see the light of day in museums’ collections“.
84% of the finds were objects and 16% coins. The split by period is shown in the chart below.
In 2019/20 an estimated 2% of adults in England had taken part in metal detecting at least once during the year.
The figures are from Reported Treasure Finds 2018/19 Statistical Release
Treasure finds in England, wales and Northern Ireland 
Treasure finds by period