By Adam Dutton
A secret stash of 331 gold coins spanning three centuries which were hidden in an old SOCK and bedsheets have sold for $149,415. The sovereigns were discovered among sheets and pillowcases at the bottom of a linen chest during a house clearance in Leicestershire.
The earliest pieces date back to Queen Victoria’s reign in the 1800s while later coins were minted this century.
Each coin was valued at between £300-£500 and the collection sold for £118,000, including the buyers’ premium, when they went under the hammer at Hanson Ross Auctioneers in Royston, Hertfordshire, on Wednesday (17/1).
“It was an amazing find, made after a client instructed us to clear a house,” said TV’s Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson, who owns the auction house. “Our team are renowned for being thorough. They check over every inch of a house.”
“It’s not just about fine or fragile objects on display, it’s the hidden items that are often the most valuable.
“These are found in drawers, wardrobes, cupboards, bags and, in this case, even an old sock. “People have a multitude of hiding places. Sometimes it’s a case of hide and seek.
“In this case workers were checking through the attic and linen in a bedroom chest when the coins were discovered.
“You can imagine their amazement. First they saw the golden glint of one gold coin, then handfuls emerged.
“Some were hidden in a pillow case and many others were tucked away in a sock.
“Our client was flabbergasted and delighted in equal measure. They had no idea the house contained a treasure trove of gold. “You hear about people stashing cash under the bed but this was quite extraordinary.”
“Normally gold of this value would have been kept locked away in a safe or bank vault. The coins were most probably amassed over many years but no-one, aside from their late owner, knew they existed,” he said. “The coins were in hot demand under the hammer because gold is sought after and prices are strong.
“The collection sparked a white glove sale, an auction term used when every single lot sells.” The shield-backed sovereigns included coins dating back to the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign which began in 1937. The earliest coin was minted in 1846 while another was dated 1901, the year of her death.
Other monarchs depicted on the coins through the centuries included King Edward VII, King George V and Queen Elizabeth II. Auctioneer Charles added: “It was like a walk through 300 years of history.
“The collection captured the passage of time due to different monarchs represented on the sovereigns.
“They also reminded us of the length of their reigns.
“Due to long periods on the throne, Victoria and Elizabeth’s coin profiles alter through the decades.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker