A Roman coin, believed to be the first of its kind discovered in the UK, has been sold for nearly £5,000.
Seventy-six-year-old Ron Walters from Kingswinford, West Midlands, found the coin last year using his metal detector in Wall Heath near Dudley. According to Mark Hannam of Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge, a Scottish collector purchased the coin for £4,700 on Friday.
“Even after being buried in the soil for over 1,900 years, the buyer is delighted to add it to his collection,” said Hannam.
The coin, dating back to AD 69, is thought to be the only one of its kind found in the British Isles. It features Emperor Aulus Vitellius, who ruled for just eight months during the turbulent “Year of the Four Emperors.”
“Discovering a coin from AD 69 is exceptionally rare,” Hannam explained. “Most coins unearthed in the UK date from the third or fourth century, whereas this one comes from a time when gold was at its purest.”
The proceeds from the sale will be split between the landowner and Walters, who discovered the coin.
“It’s not just about the money,” Walters said before the auction. “The historical significance is incredible—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime find.”
Although the coin sold for much less than a similar artefact auctioned in Switzerland last year for around £50,000, Walters was satisfied with the outcome.
“Anything’s a bonus,” he told media WM. “Most of the items you find aren’t valuable enough to sell, so they just go into your collection.”
He plans to use the money for motorhome repairs while continuing his metal-detecting hobby.
“You never know what you’ll find—not just coins, but belt buckles, buttons—each with its own story to tell,” he said.
