A metal detectorist has paid off his mortgage after he unearthed a rare Roman ring worth £75,000 in a muddy field.
Former army soldier and lorry driver Kevin Minto and his friend Phil Costello unearthed the ring while they were searching for treasure at a country estate close to the Somerset village of Ilminster.
The so-called ‘Ilminster ring’, weighing in at 48 grams, is an unusually large and exquisitely-crafted ring which features an engraved gemstone depicting the goddess Victory driving a two-horse chariot.
It dates to around AD 297 and would have belonged to a high ranking Roman, possibly a top army general.
The ring was discovered alongside hundreds of Roman coins and it is believed they were buried for safekeeping at a time of unrest in south west England.
The hoard then remained untouched for 1,720 years until it was discovered by Mr Minto and Mr Costello on an organised metal detecting rally in 2017.
He found dozens of copper silver alloy coins before alerting the rally organisers and the local finds liaison officer.
Mr Minto and Mr Costello then carried out a further search of the field which is when they found the ring.
Former army soldier and lorry driver Kevin Minto (pictured) and his friend Phil Costello unearthed the ring while they were searching for treasure at a country estate close to the Somerset village of Ilminster
The so-called ‘Ilminster ring’, weighing in at 48 grams, is an unusually large and exquisitely-crafted ring which features an engraved gemstone depicting the goddess Victory driving a two-horse chariot
A lengthy legal dispute followed over who actually found the hoard, as the rally organiser wrongly claimed ownership.
It was later ruled that Mr Minto was the finder and the South West Heritage Trust has now bought the hoard for a total of £78,010, spending £75,000 of that on the ring.
Mr Minto is already enjoying his lucrative reward by using his share of the money to pay off the rest of his mortgage.
Experts say the ring is an unparalleled discovery in Britain and there is no other like it.
The hoard will now go on a tour of local 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.
Mr Minto described the find as ‘every detectorist’s dream’, adding he was in a ‘state of shock’ following the discovery
The Roman coins Mr Minto also unearthed. The hoard remained untouched for 1,720 years until it was discovered by Mr Minto and Mr Costello
‘Its discovery sheds light on how South Somerset’s Roman inhabitants navigated a period of unrest from 286-296.
‘It is likely the ring was buried shortly after, in 297, as part of a hoard including coins, lead and pottery objects.’
Mr Minto, from Amesbury in Wiltshire, believes there are more treasures to find at the site and plans on going back.
Read More
Metal detectorist who stole £3m Viking treasure hoard admits stabbing friend after fight about gold
He 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.
‘I got on the phone to the organiser and put a message on the group chat and Phil came over and helped find more coins. They were everywhere.
‘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.’
He described the find as ‘every detectorist’s dream’, adding he was in a ‘state of shock’ following the discovery.
The 68-year-old continued: ‘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.’
As the coroner declared the hoard treasure it was given to the British Museum so that another public institution had the chance to acquire it.
The South West Heritage Trust raised £78,010 to acquire the Ilminster Ring and Hoard, which is made up of 297 coins, with support from the Arts Council England.
The money has been split 50/50 with the landowner getting half and, Mr Minto and Mr Costello sharing the other half.
