Shropshire Star

Coroner rules silver buckle found in Shropshire field to be treasure

A rare medieval silver buckle found in a field in Shropshire has been ruled to be treasure.

Published

The D-shaped buckle or brooch was found in May 2013 at an undisclosed location in the Ludlow area.

At a treasure trove hearing held at Shrewsbury Crown Court Shropshire coroner John Ellery ruled the find to be treasure.

Expert analysis of the item by the British Museum determined it to have been made in the late 13th or early 14th century.

The object, which measures 9.5mm by 18mm, has two engraved grooves running along it but is otherwise plain of any decoration.

Peter Reavill, finds liaison oOfficer for Shropshire as part of the British Museum's portable antiquities scheme, said it would have cost a semi-skilled labourer a day's wages to buy the item.

He also revealed that the object is particularly rare because it is made from silver.

He said: "Buckles are common medieval finds – although they are rarely made of silver. It is likely that the person who lost this buckle would have been a relatively rich person, possibly a landowning farmer or merchant.

"The weight of the silver used to make this buckle is equal to at least four medieval pennies and so represents the days wage for a semi-skilled labourer."

Shropshire Museum Service has expressed an interest in acquiring the item.

No details were given about how or where the buckle was found.

Items are declared treasure trove when they are considered to be of particular historic interest.

It means the items are confiscated from whoever found them, although some form of compensation is normally paid.

Potential treasure hunters should be aware there is a "Code of Practice for Responsible Metal-Detecting in England and Wales" which outlines best practice for those using metal detectors and has been fully endorsed by archaeological groups.

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