Rare Roman discovery allows UK enthusiast to pay off mortgage after £78k haul | UK | News
2017 find subject to ownership disputes (Image: Getty)
He paid off his mortgage after a metal detector uncovered a rare Roman gold ring believed to belong to a senior military figure or senior official. Kevin Minto, 68, discovered the extraordinary artifact with a friend during a metal detecting rally near Ilminster, Somerset.
The former soldier and truck driver initially thought he had found a coin after spotting something glittering in the mud. But the object turned out to be a large gold Roman ring, weighing 48 grams and decorated with an engraved gemstone depicting Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, driving a two-horse chariot.
The ring is thought to belong to a Roman general or high-ranking official. (Image: SWHT/BNPS)
The ring, dated to AD 297, was found alongside hundreds of Roman coins in the same area.
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Mr Minto said Sun: “I was on a group dig when I found this. I was walking through this field alone in a field and I found some coins.
“Then I found a few more and a few more and I realized it was a hoard.
“At the end of the day we had about 200 coins.
“The hoard must have been buried in a pot in the ground and scattered around after being hit by a farmer’s plow over the years.
“There’s no point in just burying the ring with hundreds of coins, there must be more jewels there.”
He added: “At first I thought it was a coin, then a brooch, then I realized it was a ring. You’re really a bit confused. One of the boys I was with was shouting, ‘We’re rich, we’re rich’.”
The South West Heritage Trust purchased the ring and 297 coins for £78,000, ensuring the discovery remains in Somerset.
Mr. Minto shared the proceeds with Phil Costello, the landowner and detector expert who helped find it. His share allowed him to pay off the rest of his mortgage and reduce his truck driving hours.
Amal Khreisheh, senior curator at the South West Heritage Trust, welcomed the find (Image: SWHT/BNPS)
The discovery was not straightforward due to a dispute over who was entitled to the income after the discovery was made during the veterans’ determination meeting.
However, the issue has now been resolved and the treasure will be put on public display.
Experts have described the Ilminster Ring as a “unique” discovery in Britain due to its size, weight and craftsmanship.
Amal Khreisheh, senior curator at the South West Heritage Trust, said the ring combines elaborate gold craftsmanship with a beautifully crafted engraving, a design etched into a precious stone.
He said: The Ilminster ring is both large and heavy, with detailed gold work and beautifully crafted engraving. [a technique in which a design is engraved into the surface of a gemstone].
“Although other examples are known, these elements come together to create a magnificent ring that has parallels only with continental exploration.”
He added: “His discovery sheds light on how the Roman inhabitants of South Somerset fared during the period of unrest between 286 and 296.”
The find also sheds light on life in South Somerset during a turbulent period in Roman Britain.
The ring will visit local primary schools ahead of the Ilminster discovery day in August. It will later be given a permanent home at the Somerset Museum in Taunton.
