Old coin is fake - expert
WHAT was believed to be an ancient coin found in South East Northumberland has been revealed as a fake.
The coin, which was said to be around 500 years old and was expected to fetch thousands of pounds at auction, has turned out to be a replica.
The News Post Leader reported recently how a treasure-hunter had found the gold coin in Choppington and was planning to sell it.
News of the discovery excited historians and archaeologists in the region who were keen to see the coin first-hand.
But an examination by professionals revealed the coin was not heavy enough to be minted from gold, but instead was covered with a gold resin to give the appearance of the precious metal.
Rob Collins, finds liaison officer at Newcastle University's Museum of Antiquities, inspected the coin when it was finally brought to him for examination.
He said: "It was clear when I looked at the coin that it was a replica. Even though it was made of metal, it was not heavy enough to be gold.
"There was a plastic gold resin to give it that gold look. Also on the coin was a small WRL marking which is a very common mark for a replica."
Mr Collins added that he was not disappointed the coin was a fake as he had been sceptical about its authenticity from the outset.
"Gold coins are fairly rare finds so I was pretty sceptical that it would be the genuine article," he said.
Treasure-hunters have also been causing chaos on farming land in the area after news of the find spread.
Mr Collins is urging members of the public keen on looking for ancient artifacts to make sure they are doing so within the law.
He said: "If people are looking for artifacts and antiques then they should always make sure they have the permission of the land-owner whether they have a metal-detector or not."
He added: "And it is illegal to look for such items on ancient monuments so people should always check before doing so."
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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