Metal Detector Enthusiast Strikes Gold After Two Decades of Searching, Uncovers Ancient Roman Coin Worth £6,000

Paul Capewell was on his way back to his car after another fruitless treasure hunt in Little Grandsen, Cambs

Coin collectors have been left amazed in recent months after discovering an old penny worth £150,000 and a new "error" on a "very rare" coin.

But it's not just social media which is seeing a range of special designs go viral as one metal detector enthusiast finally struck gold after two decades of sweeping the same stretch of land.

Paul Capewell was on his way back to his car after another fruitless treasure hunt in Little Grandsen, Cambs.

But the 59-year-old couldn't believe his eyes when he uncovered an ancient Roman coin worth a cool £6,000.

It all happened when his trusty metal detector chirped up with a signal that led him to dig up history.

It wasn't until Paul, hailing from Selston, Notts, showed snaps of his find to a coin expert where he realised its true worth.

The enthusiast learned his discovery, a denarius coin, dates back to the majestic reign of Emperor Trajan around 107 AD, minted during the emperor's recall of outdated Republican currency for a shiny new overhaul.

This particular piece of old money is such a rare commodity that auction house Noonans claimed there have only been a couple of these coins spotted on the market over the last quarter-century.

With its unique stature, the coin is expected to spark a bidding war resulting in a sale price somewhere between £5,000 and £6,000 at an upscale Mayfair auction set for October 22.

Paul, who has put building construction behind him, aims to share the windfall with the owner of the field where the coin was found.

As for splurging his half, he might treat himself to an upgrade in the form of a new metal detecting gadget or possibly fund an essential surgery following a heart attack.

Reflecting on his extraordinary find, Paul recounted: "Using my Equinox 800 metal detector, I only found a few shotgun cartridges, so I decided to return to my car parked at the side of the field.

"Just five metres away from the car, I got a signal and at a depth of 8 inches, I found a silver Roman coin. I did not realise just how rare the coin was until I showed photographs to a coin dealer, and it has now been recorded with the portable Antiquities Scheme."

Speaking about his experience, he continued: "I have been visiting the same field for more that 20 years and have discovered a few Roman and Medieval coins – but this is my most exciting find so far!"

The coin dates back to 107 AD and was issued by Roman Emperor Trajan.

Its design features the goddess of money Juno Moneta on one side – and pincers, hammers, and dies for striking coins on the other side.

Nigel Mills, Coins and Artefacts Specialist at Noonans, said: "The coin was issued by the Emperor Trajan in AD 107 after he had recalled all the worn Republican coins from circulation.

"Only two examples of this specific type have been recorded for sale in the last 25 years.

"Some of the coins in circulation dated back over 300 years and they provided a historical record of the achievements of the Roman Empire.

"Trajan issued a limited number of coins which recalled some of the events from the past. This coin uses the same imagery as an issue by the moneyer Titus Carisius in 46 BC.

"Titus was an ally of Julius Caesar, and this design features a bust of Juno Moneta on the obverse, with pincers, hammer and dies for striking coins on the reverse. A coin showing how a coin is made!"