A MAN who found a rare ring in a muddy field while out on a walk has now sold it for £23,000.
Metal detectorist Albert Taylor found the medieval gold hoop and bezel jewellery in a field near Roxwell in Essex.
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He alerted the local coroner but the British Museum passed up acquiring the ring – so Albert put it up for sale at Timeline Auctions in London, where it hammered down for £18,000.
Auctioneers’ fees took the final figure paid by the undisclosed buyer to £23,400 – over double the £10,000 pre-sale estimate.
Timeline Auctions’ Brett Hammond said: “The ring was found near Roxwell, Essex, by Albert Taylor.
“It evidently belonged to a person of some wealth and status given the quantity of gold used in its manufacture and the quality of the workmanship.
“The style of the ring is close in appearance to a number of early 15th century examples, which began to appear with the badge and motto rather than the full armorial bearings.”
The one inch diameter ring weighing eight grams has an image of a bird of prey perching with wings spread and head turned.
Above the bird is the inscription ‘al for ye best’ (all for the best).
The ring was found close to an estate owned in the 14th century by the Skrene family.
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They included the Irish-born senior barrister and sergeant at law William Skrene, who died in 1420.
Auctioner Brett added: “It is very possible that this is the personal signet ring of William Skrene, or possibly of his sons, William or Thomas.
“It sold well due to its possible links with this important individual. Mr Taylor seemed very pleased with the result.”
It comes after a man who bought a garden feature for £20 has revealed how he is now selling it for £3,000.
A time capsule Renault Clio is set to sell for a whopping six-figure sum at auction after doing just 1,872 miles in 18 years.
Advice for first time jewellery sellers
It is always best to do your research before selling any of your jewellery.
Some of it may be worth more than you think, so you should consider a valuation.
- Be aware of branded jewellery as this can often be more valuable in one piece rather than being sold for scrap.
- Always compare prices between different cash for gold companies both on the high street and online as they can vary.
- Ensure the item you have is real gold, any local jeweller will be able to tell you if your gold is real or fake. Don’t send any items to online gold scrap sites until you guarantee the authenticity as you could lose the item and not receive any money.
- While in a jewellers it can be worth asking for a trade-in, so you can get something new from your unwanted jewellery.
- Check out London and Birmingham’s jewellery quarters for some of the best deals for your gold.
