9 March 2000
Want a story that's got drama, intrigue and a bit of skulduggery thrown in?
Look no further than the attached press release.
A man loses his keys. He searches for them with his metal detector.
He finds treasure instead. It's 700 years old.
But it's not all that it seems.
There's a counterfeit afoot in the 14th Century.
Need a peg to hang the story on?
Then visit the handover of the Treasure to the Ulster Museum at 10.30 am Thursday 9 March.
All will be revealed......
ARMAGH MAN 'COINS' IN TREASURE WHILE LOOKING FOR LOST KEYS
An Armagh man has found treasure in a field while looking for lost keys.
New DOE's Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), custodians of the treasure, have now handed it over to the Ulster museum.
In recounting the remarkable find, EHS's Declan Hurl said:
" James Nugent had been using a metal detector to search for a set of lost keys when he got an unexpected reading. Immediately he headed for a spade and when tossing the land, he came across thirty-five coins. Most of the coins were silver and dated to the 14th century. Intriguingly, one was a silver-coated forgery, although made at the same time as the others.
" An inquest declared the find to be treasure. In an added spin, it is the first such case in Northern Ireland to test the new Treasury Act 1996, which grants both finder and landowner a general right to a reward. The coins were sent to the Treasure Valuation Committee in London and were valued at £1800. The EHS, which had been officially holding them, has now passed them on to their new owners, the Ulster museum, which paid for their acquisition."
Declan Hurl concluded by saying:
" Mr Nugent has literally coined it in. All in all an interesting tale.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The coins will be handed over by Declan Hurl to the Ulster museum at 10.30am Thursday 9 March.
- An opportunity for photographs and media interviews will take place at that time.
- For further information please contact Philip Maguire 01232 540013 e mail philip.j.maguire@doeni.gov.uk.