Metal detectorist pays off mortgage with Roman general’s ring

A metal detectorist who helped to unearth a rare gold Roman ring in a muddy field has paid off his mortgage after selling the treasure for £75,000.

The Ilminster Ring was dug up on a country estate in Somerset by Kevin Minto, a former soldier from Wiltshire, and his friend Phil Costello. The men are part of Detecting for Veterans founded by former 1st Battalion Light Infantry veteran, Jason Massey, in 2015.  

Weighing 48g, the large ring features an engraved gemstone depicting the Roman goddess Victoria, which translates as “victory” in Latin, driving a two-horse chariot. It dates to around 297 AD and may have belonged to a Roman army general.

It is believed the ring, along with hundreds of Roman coins, was buried for safekeeping at a time of unrest in south-west England.

The hoard was discovered by Mr Minto, 68, and Mr Costello during a metal-detecting rally in 2017. They found dozens of copper-silver-alloy coinsbefore alerting the rally organisers and the local finds liaison officer.

A further search of the field then led to them finding the ring.

Mr Minto said: “I was on a group dig when I found it. I was walking in this field on an estate by myself and I found a couple of coins. Then I found a couple more and a couple more and realised it was a hoard.

“By the end of the day we had something like 200 coins.

“We returned to the field with the finds liaison officer and that is when Phil found the gold ring.”

“It is every detectorist’s dream. When I found it, it was quite overwhelming. I was in state of shock,” added Mr Minto.

“It is a ring that is unique to Britain. Because of the size and quality of it, it must have belonged to someone very important like a top Roman general or a high-ranking official.

“The hoard must have been buried in a pot in the ground and over the years has been struck by a farmer’s plough and scattered.

“It doesn’t make sense for just the ring to have been buried with hundreds of coins, there must be more jewellery there.”

Mr Minto said: “At the time, you’re tired from digging all day. When you see it, it’s all a bit overwhelming and it didn’t really sink in until I got home that night.

“I put the coins on the table and was like, ‘wow’.”

South West Heritage Trust raised £78,010 to acquire the Ilminster Ring and hoard, which is made up of 297 coins, with support from Arts Council England. It paid £75,000 for the ring.

Mr Minto shared the proceeds with Mr Costello. He said he had already paid off the rest of his mortgage with his share of the proceeds.

Experts said the ring was an unparalleled discovery in Britain.

The hoard will go on a tour of primary schools in Somerset, giving children the chance to learn about Roman history. It will then go on display in the Roman collections at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.

Amal Khreisheh, senior curator at South West Heritage Trust, said: “The Ilminster Ring is both large and heavy, with elaborate goldwork and a beautifully executed intaglio.

“While other examples are known, these elements combine to create a spectacular ring that is only paralleled by Continental discoveries.

“Its discovery sheds light on how South Somerset’s Roman inhabitants navigated a period of unrest from 286–296 AD.

“It is likely the ring was buried shortly after, in 297 AD, as part of a hoard including coins, lead and pottery objects.”

She added: “Roman gold is really rare, most jewellery is made out of silver or bronze in this period, so it’s really striking to see in such good condition.”

[Source: Daily Telegraph]