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EVER SINCE YOU were a child have you always dreamed about finding some buried treasure?
Paul Coleman was out with the Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club with his metal detector, when he discovered over 5,200 silver coins.
The amateur archaeologist’s find was unveiled at London’s British Museum today.
Silver coins
The discovery is one of the largest ever finds of Anglo-Saxon coins from the 10th and 11th centuries was made by Paul Coleman while out on an organised dig in central England.
The treasure, dating from the reigns of King Ethelred II (978-1016) and Canute (1016-1035), was buried in the village of Lenborough, Buckinghamshire.
The coins are unofficially estimated to be worth over €1.34 million.
Coleman said that he nearly did not make the 100 mile trip from his Southampton home to the dig site to avert the cost of filling up his car with fuel.
It was almost written on the cards.
It was a long way to go, we don’t normally travel that distance. I had that feeling that the day would end well — it’s pure fate!
Treasure find
He immediately knew that the find was a big one, explaining “the signal from the detector was so large and so deep that when I first uncovered the first coin, I knew there was more to it than just that coin.”
The coins were today unveiled at London’s British Museum.
The coins were found in good condition as they were covered in mud and were wrapped in a lead sheet.
Pippa Pearce, the curator in charge of cleaning the treasure, said:
It’s a very rare treasure, and (it’s) rare to find so many coins all together and in such good condition.
“One of the coins is so rare that it immediately took up exhibition in the money gallery.”
New house
Coleman will share the bounty with the landowner.
He said he hoped to buy a bigger house for entertaining his grandchildren.
The presentation of the treasure coincided with the release of the latest “Treasure Annual Report.”
It reported discoveries had increased significantly in recent years, with 990 in 2012, 993 in 2013 and 1,008 in 2014. There were only 201 finds in 1998.
The number of discoverers waiving their right to a reward also doubled in five years, allowing museums to acquire them cheaply, according to the report.
Additional reporting Christina Finn
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Very brave lady and best wishes to you. Can’t help but think it would send an even stronger message if he was locked up for the full sentence and none of this early release good behavior B.S
@Marc Murphy: yes .. I think that good lady will be fearful of his release , as anyone would be . Wouldn’t think he will be welcomed into the prison or when he is released though.
And Hopefully Sends a Strong Message to Other Men.
@The Divils Avocado: he’s not a man, No man would do that to a woman. What he is, is unprintable here.
@The Divils Avocado: Hopefully it sends a strong message to other judges.
@The Divils Avocado: Coercive control does not always include physical abuse and only men as perpetrators. We are decades behind other Western countries understanding or addressing that.
And sends an equally strong message to abusers too.
The Victim is the real hero in this story. To be put under that kind of abuse and threat and still go to the Authorities and fight him is absolutely awesome. Kudos to you. You Deserve all the happiness in the world.
Great for the courts and Gardai to back her up as well, it’s a fantastic day for Justice in Ireland.
Howcome this is not attempted murder
@Trevor Connolly: No intent motive? Circumstances considered by our justice prior to charges.
10 years is not enough. Throw away the key. There’s no place on this earth for a lowlife like that.
Waiting for landmark case of coercive control abuse with no physical abuse involved.
Insidious is the word. People like this guy should be rooted out.
My comment earlier got deleted – I assume because I said “Thank you, Laura Richards!” Laura is not the poor lady who survived the attacks. Laura Richards is former Scotland Yard and it is she who works with police and governments around the world, including Northern Ireland and us here, to educate and change / bring in laws in cases of coercive control and stalking. Check her out! https://www.laurarichards.co.uk/about-me/. The lady in this case is very brave. I wish her a continued recovery. I also hope her bravery will help others in similar situations make a life saving decision and seek help.
As it’s the first conviction of this nature I wouldn’t be surprised if the length of the sentence is appealed.
Let’s hope that this lowlife has a hard time at the hands of the other inmates
I hope the same results would happen if it was a woman who was charged but don’t think so because the State isn’t interested in that sort of thing.
He will have a hard time in prison. I really hope so.
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