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Man discovers treasure in late wife's handbag
A widower was surprised to find a hoard of ancient coins in his late wife's handbag.
The gold and silver coins, part of a group found in an Upper Norwood garden 54 years ago, were discovered while the elderly widower sorted through his wife's belongings.
Joy Hulme had originally discovered the coins as she was tidying a piece of land at the front of her home at The Woodlands in Beulah Hill in March 1953.
Some of the coins dated back to 1282 with more recent ones dating back to 1361.
Complying with the law Mrs Hulme handed over most of her discovery which the coroner decided was treasure.
This meant the coins, including gold nobles and silver groats, had to be handed over to the British Museum which paid out an unknown sum for them.
But Mrs Hulme decided to hold back 14 coins, not even telling her husband about them.
After finding the coins in a pouch in his late wife's handbag Mr Hulme, who now lives in Woking, decided to hand them over.
Among the coins found in Mrs Hulme's handbag was a silver groat from the time of David II of Scots, minted in Edinburgh, a silver penny from Edward I and various gold nobles and silver groats from the period of Edward III.
Coroner Dr Roy Palmer sitting at Croydon Coroner's Court has officially ruled the extra 14 coins to be treasure.
4:34am Wednesday 1st August 2007
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CommentPosted by: Anna, Italy on 10:05pm Thu 2 Aug 07
Those are the news I love to read the most!!![bold]bold[/bold]
Those are the news I love to read the most!!!
Posted by: Taggy, Hampshire on 11:44pm Thu 2 Aug 07
I'm always amazed at what you can find in a woman's bag, my wife's handbag is full of surprises sadly not as good as this one..
I'm always amazed at what you can find in a woman's bag, my wife's handbag is full of surprises sadly not as good as this one..
Posted by: THEO, ilorin on 2:55pm Fri 3 Aug 07
thaz what i call good fortune!,
thaz what i call good fortune!,
Posted by: Carmen, USA on 3:05pm Sun 5 Aug 07
I don't get it why do you have to turn them over and not get to keep them?
I don't get it why do you have to turn them over and not get to keep them?
Posted by: Dennis, Portland, Oregon (USA) on 9:34pm Mon 6 Aug 07
Carmen: It's claimed necessary to preserve the national heritage. Actually, it seems more a smokescreen for old fashioned [italic]GREED![/italic]
Carmen: It's claimed necessary to preserve the national heritage. Actually, it seems more a smokescreen for old fashioned
GREED! Posted by: Steve Hamilton, Totnes, Devon on 2:49pm Fri 10 Aug 07
Carmen, this is because in this country (UK), anything that is found is declared 'treasure trove', and has to be handed over
Carmen, this is because in this country (UK), anything that is found is declared 'treasure trove', and has to be handed over
Posted by: Tallman, Exeter on 9:47am Tue 14 Aug 07
Anything declared 'treasure trove' is kept and preserved for the public benefit and will therefore be found on display in a museum. The public have the right to access it. If it was kept in a private collection it would be lost, probably for good.
Anything declared 'treasure trove' is kept and preserved for the public benefit and will therefore be found on display in a museum. The public have the right to access it. If it was kept in a private collection it would be lost, probably for good.
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