A University of East Anglia professor who took his niece metal detecting in a Suffolk field uncovered a hoard of 18 Iron Age gold coins linked to 2 ancient British rulers. Tom Licence, Professor of Medieval History and Literature at UEA, discovered the coins during searches in a field near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in autumn 2024, before returning months later and finding another full coin. The discoveries were reported to a Finds Liaison Officer and declared treasure. The resulting Bury St Edmunds hoard has been described by auction house Noonans as the largest known hoard of gold coins deposited during the reign of Dubnovellaunos, ruler of the Trinovantes. Sixteen of the 18 coins were subsequently offered individually at Noonans Mayfair on March 4, 2026, after Licence and the landowner each retained one stater. Those 16 auctioned coins fetched a combined hammer price of £33,200, exceeding Noonans' pre-sale estimate of around £25,000. This remarkable discovery highlights how amateur enthusiasm and family bonding can occasionally uncover profoundly significant historical treasures, enriching our understanding of ancient British civilization and its rulers.
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