Treasure Hunter Unearths 748 Ancient Coins Inspired by Indiana Jones
George Ridgway, a 34-year-old archaeologist from Ashbocking, Suffolk, discovered a remarkable hoard of 748 ancient gold and silver coins at Helmingham Hall, Suffolk. His find, which dates back as far as 206 BC, is one of the largest collections of Iron Age and Roman coins ever uncovered in Britain.
Ridgway, who began his search in September 2019, was inspired by his childhood hero, Indiana Jones, and had been passionate about “history hunting” since receiving a metal detector from his grandmother on his 12th birthday. Armed with a Garrett AT Pro metal detector, he decided to explore an unusual crop mark in a barley field, located near a Roman road. Although his initial search yielded no results, moving just 30 yards away led to the discovery of two Roman bronze brooches from the mid-first century AD.
The real breakthrough came when Ridgway’s detector signaled the presence of a silver denarius, a coin issued by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Over the next three hours, he uncovered an astonishing 160 Roman silver coins, with some even stuck to pottery fragments.
Recognizing the significance of his find, Ridgway called his father to guard the site overnight while awaiting an archaeological team to excavate the area. It took three months to fully recover the hoard, which spans from 206 BC to AD 46-47, during the rule of Emperor Claudius.
The British Museum and Colchester and Ipswich Museums claimed 63 of the coins for their collections. The remaining 680 coins are expected to fetch around £75,000 at auction on September 18, 2024, with the proceeds being shared between Ridgway and the landowner.
Among the notable coins in the collection are a stater from the reign of Cunobelin (AD 8-41), estimated to be worth £3,000 to £4,000, and a denarius of Gaius Caesar (Caligula) from AD 37-38, valued at £2,000 to £2,600. Ridgway plans to use his share of the money to buy his dad a pint in gratitude for his support.
Reflecting on his discovery, Ridgway said, “It was an awe-inspiring moment when I realized that I had found one.”
