Metal detectorist unearths hoard of silver civil war era coins worth £100,000 in field outside his local pub

  • Luke Mahoney unearthed 1,078 coins dating back to around 15th-17th century
  • He found 'biggest hoard' of his life behind Lindsey Rose pub in Lindsey, Suffolk 
  • Mr Mahoney has been looking for precious metals for the past ten years

A metal detectorist is toasting his success after discovering an extraordinary hoard of silver civil war era coins worth at least £100,000 in a field owned by his local pub. 

Luke Mahoney, 40, has searched for ancient treasures across the globe and so was astonished when he found the 'biggest hoard' of his life just behind the Lindsey Rose pub in Lindsey, Suffolk, using his trusty Minelab Equinox 800 detector. 

He unearthed 1,078 silver, hammered coins dating back to somewhere around the 15th century to the 17th century. 

Mr Mahoney said the most popular theory from experts and historians he has since spoke to is that they were buried in the field by a wealthy landowner who had gone off to fight in the English Civil War.   

Luke Mahoney, 40, unearthed 1,078 silver, hammered coins dating back to somewhere around the 15th-17th century behind the Lindsey Rose pub in Lindsey, Suffolk

Luke Mahoney, 40, unearthed 1,078 silver, hammered coins dating back to somewhere around the 15th-17th century behind the Lindsey Rose pub in Lindsey, Suffolk 

Valuation expert Nigel Mills examined some of the coins found and said the hoard would fetch at least £100,000 at auction. 

Mr Mahoney stayed up for three nights after discovering the haul of historic pieces, keeping watch for rival 'nighthawk' detectorists who might come to loot his precious find. 

The experienced detectorist has been looking for precious metals for the past ten years. 

He said he does it for the 'rush' and compared the thrill to an angler catching a big fish.  

The married father-of-three, who runs his own metal detector shop, Joan Allen Electrics, has lived in the Suffolk hamlet of Lindsey for the last five years. 

Mr Mahoney sits outside the Lindsey Rose pub where he found the civil war coins with his shovel and metal detector

 Mr Mahoney sits outside the Lindsey Rose pub where he found the civil war coins with his shovel and metal detector

On July 26, he was out with two of his friends detecting in a field behind the Lindsey Rose pub after finally convincing the owner to let him search the field behind. 

Charlie Buckle, 26, who runs the pub with his father James, 55, said he was having Sunday lunch with his family when he got a call from Mr Mahoney saying he had found something special. 

Mr Buckle said: 'Luke gets quite excited about everything he finds so at first I was like "yeah, sure". But then he kept ringing and told me I had to come down and see what he had found.'  

Mr Mahoney and friends Dan Hunt and Matt Brown had been out searching the fields behind the Rose since 10am that morning. 

He has searched for ancient treasures across the globe and so was astonished when he found the 'biggest hoard' of his life behind his local pub

He has searched for ancient treasures across the globe and so was astonished when he found the 'biggest hoard' of his life behind his local pub

The 15-acre field in which they found the coins had been recently cropped and a plough had somehow managed to crack a clay earthenware pot buried 2ft beneath the ground. 

Mr Mahoney said: 'We did some detecting in the morning and found a beautiful gold coin and a little sixpence and then we went and had lunch at the pub. 

'We went back out to the fields and almost immediately I hit a signal and I pulled out this Charles I coin. Then I hit another signal, and another.' 

Mr Mahoney began digging with his customised stainless steel spade and quickly realised he was on to something serious. 

He added: 'They were everywhere. It was pandemonium. After ten minutes of searching I hit this massive signal and I thought "this is it".

He said the earliest coin is an Elizabeth I era shilling dating back to 1573-78. The find also contained many Charles I half crown's from 1641-43

He said the earliest coin is an Elizabeth I era shilling dating back to 1573-78. The find also contained many Charles I half crown's from 1641-43

'We dug and saw the pot. That feeling of scraping the dirt away and seeing the coins is indescribable.'   

Mr Mahoney immediately contacted the local 'Finds liaison officer' and notified him of the find. He also declared the treasure to the coroner.   

He said the earliest coin is an Elizabeth I era shilling dating back to 1573-78. The find also contained many Charles I half crown's from 1641-43. 

Each Charles I coin would be worth around £50 to £75 but Mr Mills said they would be worth a lot more if they were linked to famous historic events. 

For the next three days and nights Mr Mahoney and his friends were forced to wait in their cars and keep watch for any 'nighthawks' - rival detectorists - who might come and steal their hoard. 

Mr Mahoney said: 'I was up for three days solid. I didn't sleep I just sat there with my eyes open looking for nighthawks.

Mr Mahoney stayed awake for three nights after discovering the historic pieces

Mr Mahoney stayed awake for three nights after discovering the historic pieces

'I waited in my car watching all night making sure no-one tried to sneak in and take the hoard. Even now I am a bit paranoid.' 

He said that a few days ago he found a casing from a headphone in the field, indicating someone had sneaked in to search for any remnants of the hoard. 

Mr Mahoney credited his success to the 'unique' metal detector he was using, the Minelab Equinox 800. 

He said: 'I knew the other nighthawks wouldn't find anything because they weren't using the same detectors as us - they weren't using the Minelaw detectors. 

'The Equinox - you switch it on and it does all the work for you. It would be able to tell me a bit of metal in the ground was a key for example.' 

Mr Mahoney (left) was detecting in the field with his two friends Dan Hunt (right) and Matt Brown (left) from 10am on July 26

Mr Mahoney (left) was detecting in the field with his two friends Dan Hunt (right) and Matt Brown (left) from 10am on July 26

Mr Mahoney said the machines are so good he would never consider using anything else. 

He hopes he may yet find something of even greater historical value and urged people to take up his beloved hobby. He said: 'If you think you have a bit of Indiana Jones in you, you should do it.' 

Vice-president of Global Marketing from Minelab Michelle Meyers said: 'When we first found out about Luke's discovery we knew he was on to something. 

'He told us he'd been using one of our metal detectors and the whole Minelab team were thrilled for him, we knew what an incredible feeling unearthing a find like this is. 

'Luke is a seasoned metal detectorist and knows what to do but we immediately offered our help in making sure he had access to the proper authorities in the UK. 

'Starting your journey to becoming a metal detecting enthusiast is very easy and very rewarding but you must follow the laws in your own country.

'In the UK that means abiding by the Treasure Act 1996 and reporting all finds. 

'We're delighted for Luke and can't wait to see what else he unearths.'   

WHO WAS KING CHARLES I AND WHY WAS HE EXECUTED?

King Charles I was born in Fife, Scotland, in 1600 and became king in 1625 following the death of his older brother Henry.

The new monarch favoured a High Anglican form of worship and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France, was Catholic. 

After his succession, Charles quarrelled with Parliament, which sought to curb his royal prerogative. 

The King believed in the divine right of kings and thought he could govern according to his own conscience. Many of his subjects opposed his policies, particularly the levying of taxes without parliamentary consent, and perceived his actions as those of a tyrannical monarch. 

He went on to dissolve parliament three times from 1625 to 1629 and decided to rule alone.

This meant the king was left to try and raise funds by non-parliamentary means, which made him unpopular with the British public. He also tried to force a new prayer book on the country.

King Charles visited Bramsill House in 1630, while under pressure from his subjects following his repeated clashes with Parliament. 

King Charles I (with his wife Queen Henrietta Maria) was born in Fife, Scotland, and became king when he was 24 years old 

King Charles I (with his wife Queen Henrietta Maria) was born in Fife, Scotland, and became king when he was 24 years old 

The King, on January 4, 1642, tried personally to arrest five MPs for treason. he entered the Commons accompanied by armed men and the Speaker of the time, William Lenthal, vacated the chair for the monarch. 

However, he refused to give up the MPs and famously remarked 'May it please your majesty, I have neither eyes to see not tongue to speak in this place, but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here'.

The MPs fled, Charles declared 'all my birds have flown', and he retreated. He was to be the last monarch to ever enter the chamber.    

The result, was the outbreak of civil war after more than 150 years.  

In 1646 the Royalists were defeated and Charles subsequently surrendered to the Scots and he later escaped to the Isle of Wight a year later.

Charles was put on trial for treason by a number of MPs, including Parliamentarian general Oliver Cromwell.

He was convicted and later executed outside the Banqueting House on Whitehall in London.   

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