Treasure hunter makes 'one in a billion' gold discovery from the Bronze Age
A man who found a one-in-a-billion Bronze Age clothing clasp worth a life-changing sum says he immediately knew it was special.
Jonathan Needham, 54, struck gold when he discovered the rare historical artefact while looking for treasure.
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The amateur treasure hunter found the 3,000-year-old dress or cloak fastener on a piece of land in Ellastone, Staffordshire.
Jonathan posted a photo online and people quickly said he had something much rarer in his hands.
The Bronze Age item, which measures just 13cm long and weighs 110 grams, is believed to be one of only seven found in England.
It will probably be purchased by a museum and retired tree surgeon Jonathan is delighted with it.
He said: “This is beyond even my wildest dreams. It is unbelievable! We were sitting in the car when we realized how valuable it was.
'We were shouting and punching the air – people must have thought we were completely mad.
“At home we did some research and knew it was a real treasure. We sat there in disbelief.”
Ecstatic Jonathan added: “I didn't sleep a wink that night. I knew it was super special and I couldn't stop watching it.
“This is truly a one-in-a-billion find; I had a much better chance of winning the lottery.
“No one expects a find like this, but I felt in my bones that I was going to find gold; I had made a few good finds in the past year.
“I thought it would just be a few coins, though, and not this huge lump of gold.”
Jonathan, from Derby, was out with Malcolm Baggaley, 63, on May 6 last year – the day of King Charles' coronation – when he heard a faint beep.
He pulled out the treasure and initially thought it was a faded aluminum drawer handle.
When Jonathan and his friend realized the value of their find, they sent it to the Derby Museum.
The incredible find has since been moved to the British Museum in London.
And the Bronze Age item is expected to sell for a significant sum at auction.
The money from the sale of treasure finds is usually split between the landowner and the finder – so Jonathan hopes for a holiday in the Caribbean.
He said: 'It is so ironic that I found a king's gold on the day Charles III was crowned.
“I went to see it at the British Museum and it was on display with lots of famous artefacts, such as the Sutton Hoo helmet.
“It was just surreal to see it there.
“If I see my name on a plaque in a museum, that will be my creation – it's something you dream about.
“The report could take up to five years to complete, but this was done within a few months because it is such an important find.”
Jonathan wanted to become a treasure hunter decades ago after watching TV shows about finds.
He is passionate about ancient history and enjoys watching The Detectorists.
But he was always too busy working – so he had to wait until after arthritis forced him to work part-time to take up the hobby.
Malcolm, who met Jonathan during an excavation, helped him learn to use the machine and they became good friends, going on treasure hunts together twice a week.
Jonathan said the find quickly spread by word of mouth, adding: “Five minutes later we had a good reception and posted a photo to a detection group on Facebook.
“People immediately recognized it as very valuable and we removed the photo because it was actually very frightening.
“I didn't like having something so valuable in my home overnight. But at the same time I was excited.
'It's really intriguing that we'll never know the whole story.
“It's a real story about love, friendship and gold – it's truly remarkable!”
Check out Jonathan and Malcolm's Facebook page here.
It comes as a treasure hunter uncovered Britain's oldest hoard of gold coins, which is 2,173 years old.
Stephen Eldridge found the twelve Iron Age pieces – worth £30,000 – during a search for farmland in Buckinghamshire.
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