A GARDENER has raked in thousands after selling a rare vase – and expects hundreds more from an ancient coin found in his garden.
The 25-year-old – who would not be named – first stumbled on what he had thought was an old bronze vase while clearing out his mum’s loft.
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It is believed the gardener’s father purchased the Ming-style item years earlier.
Doubling its expected selling price at auction in January, the relic collected a jaw-dropping £1,450.
The unnamed seller is now hoping to continue his luck after he uncovered a silver tetradrachm from ancient Greece in his garden.
He noticed the coin glinting in the sunlight one day while he was pulling weeds.
The gardener took both his chance discoveries to experts who disclosed their surprisingly steep value.
He said: “I had no idea if the vase was worth anything but decided to put it on eBay.
“It immediately sparked a huge bid from China so I thought I better get it checked out by experts and contacted Hansons Auctioneers.
“I arranged to take it along to their Derbyshire headquarters, which is a two-hour journey from my home in Baldock, and, at the last minute, decided to take another find too.
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“I was turning over the turf and saw something glinting in the summer sunshine.
“I picked it up and it was an old silver coin. The earth was really dry so wasn’t covered in mud. I put it in my pocket and, later, stuck it away in a drawer.”
Charles, star of TV show Antiques Road Trip, said: “I was staggered. This large silver coin originated from Ancient Greece.
“It’s known as a tetradrachm and this example would have been minted during the reign of Alexander the Great in circa 336-323 BC.
“Due to their often high artistic level tetradrachms are keenly collected today, and well-preserved or rare specimens can achieve strong prices.
“In its day this coin could have brought luxuries such as jewellery, horses or weapons. It was worth four times a man’s daily wage.”
The coin is expected to fetch between £200-£300 when it goes under the hammer on March 8, but could pull in significantly more.
On January 28 the vase, identified as a late Ming-style archaic ring-handled vessel decorated with a clawed dragon, sold for £1,450.
Auctioneer Charles added: “Our client’s father left his family a rather wonderful gift.
“It was an impressive result for a forgotten attic treasure.”
What to do if you find an antique coin
There are lots of ways to sell your coin – you can sell it on eBay, through Facebook, or in an auction.
But the process isn’t without its risks.
A number of scams have been reported to target sellers on Facebook.
Crooks will say they’re planning to buy the item, and ask for money upfront for a courier they’ll be sending around.
But it’s all a scam. You send your free cash to them, and they never have any intention of picking your item up.
Always make sure to meet the individual in the flesh if you intend to buy or sell on Facebook Marketplace.
Ensure it’s a public meeting spot that’s in a well-lit area.
Avoid payment links and log in directly through the payment method’s website.
Most sellers prefer to deal with cash directly when meeting to ensure it’s legit.
Perhaps the safest way of selling rare coins is to sell them at auction – to do this, contact The Royal Mint’s Collectors Service.
It has a team of experts who can help you authenticate and value your coin.
You’ll need to enquire via email, and a member of the valuation team will contact get back to you.
