Thursday, 22nd November 2007 (1049 views)

A man has discovered a gold artefact from the 17th century while using a metal detector on his family's farmland, it has emerged.

Phillip Jones discovered a gold touch-piece - used by royals in the 1600s as an antidote to diseases - on the Bryn Aber Farm near Wrexham.

North-east Wales coroner John Hughes subsequently declared the find as treasure at Flint Magistrates Court.

Experts at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff said that the piece looked to derive from the reign of King James II, which lasted from 1685-88.

The piece measures some two cm in diameter and depicts a sailing ship on one side and an image of St Michael slaying a dragon on the other.

"It looks as though this is the only time one of these has been found in Wales," said Mr Jones, according to the North Wales Daily Post.

In related news, gold jewellery thought to date back to the seventh century was found this week at a cemetery in England's Teeside.

 

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