Noonans sell Knaresborough ring for £36,000

November 18, 2022December 2, 2022 Paul

Noonans sell Knaresborough ring for £36,000

Noonans auction on 15/16 November 2022 included several detecting finds the most notable of which was the Knaresborough Gold Ring.

To view any of my selected lots in the auction catalogue click on the lot number. The full catalogue can be found here.

There is a buyer’s premium of 24% (plus VAT) on the hammer price.

Featured lot

Photo: © Noonans

The Knaresborough Iron Age Gold Ring

Estimate: £24,000 – £30,000

Hammer: £36000

This gold finger ring, dating to c. 100 BC, was found in Knaresborough in 1994. It was considered as Treasure under the old Treasure Trove law but as it was declared to be a stray find it was not considered to be Treasure. A collector bought it for a few hundred pounds and kept it in his cupboard for three decades before deciding to get it valued this year. He said “It’s jaw-dropping. It’s not quite King Arthur’s ring, but it’s the next thing down“

Snettisham Hoard in the British Museum. Photo: British Museum, CC By 2.0

The decoration on the ring is in the Snettisham style V, from the hoard of gold torcs and armbands found in Snettisham, Norfolk in 1948; now on display at the British Museum.

The style of design if linked to the Iceni tribe of East Anglia and it is thought that it may have ended up in Yorkshire as part of a treating between feuding tribes.

The auctioneer says “It is likely the Knaresborough ring was worn by a Corieltauvi chieftain along with a neck torc and armbands as a symbol of his high status. There is no other ring of this style which exists. It’s an incredibly important piece“

Auction

The hammer price of £36,000 was above the top estimate. Nigel Mills, specialist in ancient jewellery at Noonans, said: “We were delighted with the result of this beautiful ring.“

It was bought by a British private collector and Nigel said that the auction house was “so pleased” the item was staying in the UK. He added that the buyer was talking with York Museums Trust about loaning it for public display.

Other detecting finds - artefacts

Photo: © Noonans

Roman ring of the emperor Postumus

A silver ring set with a coin of the emperor Postumus. The coin is wrapped in gold foil rather than a gold coin which probably explains why the back of the ring is closed and only the obverse is visible. It was found in 2019 at Cheselbourne, West Dorset and recorded at the PAS as DOR-B061BB. It was disclaimed as Treasure but has been on display at the British Museum. Noonans says “This imposing ring is likely to be a military award for a successful campaign under the commander Postumus, who ruled the Gallic Empire for ten years.“

Estimate: £3,000 – £4,000

Hammer: £3000

Photo: © Noonans

Seal matrix of Alice de Turberville

This silver seal matrix was found in 2006 at Little Offley in Hertfordshire and disclaimed as Treasure. It reads :SECRETVM.ALICIE:DE:T. The crowned lion rampant left are the arms of the Turberville family and so this belonged to Alice de Turberville. The Turbervilles are said to be descended from Sir Payne de Turbeville, who came with King William in 1066 and are apparently the inspiration for Hardy’s fictional D’Urbervilles.

Estimate: £3,000 – £4,000

Other detecting finds - coins

Photo: © Noonans

Penny of Eadwald

Found near Fakenham, Norfolk in 2022. Possibly minted in Ipswich.

Estimate: £5,000 – £6,000

Hammer: £4600

Photo: © Noonans

Penny of Eadmund

A detecting find from Norfolk. The obverse reads EADMVND REX and the reverse BAEYHELM MO gives the moneyer as Bæghelm.

Estimate: £1,500 – £1,800

Hammer: £1900

Photo: © Noonans

Penny of Ecgberht

This penny was found on 11 September 2022 at Benniworth, Lincolnshire and recorded at the EMC as 2022.0311. The obverse reads ECGBEORHT REX, SAXON in field. West Saxon mint, possibly Winchester or Southampton.

Estimate: £3,000 – £3,600

Hammer: £4600

Photo: © Noonans

Halfpenny of Æthelstan

Found at Thornborough Bridge, Buckinghamshire in May 2012 and recorded at the EMC as 2012.0167. Only two other round halfpence of Æthelstan are known. The auctioneer suggests that this rarity and the unusual design may be because of irregular practices by the moneyer Ingelri at the Oxford mint.

Estimate: £3,000 – £3,600

Hammer: £4800

Penny of Harold I

Found at Winston, Suffolk on 14 June 2018 and recorded at the PAS as SF-54D6C1. The reverse reads MAÐAN BALLVC O LIN giving the mint as Lincoln and a rare moneyer, Matahan Balluc.

Estimate: £1,200 – £1,500

Hammer: £1200

Norwich penny of Harold I

A find from Winston, Suffolk in September 2020; recorded at the PAS as SF-65EA9D. Reverse reads MANNA ON NORTHWIC for moneyer Manna at Norwich mint.

Estimate: £1,200 – £1,500

Hammer: £1900

Ipswich penny of William I

Also found at Winston, Suffolk, this one in 2018, and recorded at the PAS as SF-550498. Reverse reads AELFPINE ON GIPE giving the moneyer as Ælfwine and the mint as Ipswich.

Estimate: £1,200 – £1,500

Hammer: £1900