Rare silver Roman coin set to fetch £6,000 at auction after being unearthed by metal detectorist in field
A rare Roman silver coin unearthed by a metal detectorist in Cambridgeshire is set to go under the hammer, with experts estimating it could fetch up to £6,000.
Paul Capewell, a 59-year-old retired builder from Selston, Nottinghamshire, made the extraordinary find in November 2022 in a field he had been exploring for over two decades.
The coin, issued by Emperor Trajan in 107AD, is of significant historical importance.
Nigel Mills, Coins and Artefacts Specialist at Noonans, said: “Only two examples of this specific type have been recorded for sale in the last 25 years.”
Paul Capewell’s journey into metal detecting began over four decades ago, a passion he shared with his father.
He said: “I have been visiting the same field for more than 20 years and have discovered a few Roman and Medieval coins, but this is my most exciting find so far”.
The discovery came unexpectedly as he was about to leave the field.
Capewell said: “Just five metres away from the car, I got a signal and at a depth of eight inches, I found a silver Roman coin.”
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Initially unaware of its rarity, Capewell only realised the coin’s value after consulting a coin dealer.
The find has since been recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, ensuring its place in the annals of British archaeological discoveries.
Mills said: “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.”
The design features a bust of Juno Moneta on one side, with tools for striking coins on the reverse.
“A coin showing how a coin is made!”, Mills added.
The rare Roman silver coin is set to be auctioned at Noonans Mayfair in London on Tuesday, October 22, as part of a sale of Ancient Coins and Antiquities.
With a pre-sale estimate of £5,000 to £6,000, the coin has garnered significant interest from collectors and historians.
Capewell, who retired from the building trade after suffering a heart attack, plans to split the proceeds with the landowner.
He is considering using his portion to purchase a new Minelab Manticore detector or to contribute towards his pending heart surgery.