Metal detectorist who mistook a medieval diamond ring for a sweet wrapper is celebrating after it sold for £38,000 at auction
- Metal detectorist David Board found £38,000 medieval wedding ring in Dorset
- The band was gold and diamond with engravings on the inside
- The piece was sold at Noonans of Mayfair, London
- Mr Board live streamed the auction from his local pub
A man from Dorset mistook a gold and diamond medieval wedding ring for a sweet wrapper while metal detecting which later sold for £38,000.
David Board, 69, was stunned after finding a ring on Bowling Green, Dorset while metal detecting on his friend’s farm.
The metal detectorist found the ring February 2020 on his friend’s farm which was once owned by by Sir Thomas Brook in the 14th century.
The re-tired lorry driver will split the money made at at Noonans auction in Mayfair, London with his friend who owns the farm after getting the ring back from the British Museum this year.
The ring is made up of two entwined bands and bears an inscription in Medieval French ‘ieo vos tien foi tenes le moy’ which translates to ‘as I hold your faith, hold mine’.
David Board found the £38,000 medieval wedding ring on his friend’s land but initally mistook it for a sweet wrapper
The pair watched as Mr Board made thousands of pounds while sat in his local pub the Lamb Inn in Axminster, Devon.
The metal dectectorist found the ring on his way back to his car after searching all day in the mud. The ring was five inches down and initially thought he would get £20 for it.
Mr Board said: ‘I am amazed it sold for so much. I’m well happy. I usually drink a pint of mild but may have to upgrade to Champagne now!
‘I’m a bit of a pessimist and didn’t think it would sell but am really pleased that it did.
‘My partner’s daughter is buying a house and needs a loft conversion so I will probably put some of the money towards that.’
After cleaning the ring he showed it to the Local Finds Officer who informed him that it dated back to the 14th century.
Auctioneers Noonans describe it as being in ‘very fine condition’ and weighing about 3g (0.1oz).
The land where the ring was discovered belonged to Sir Thomas, who was the largest landowner in Somerset and served 13 times as an MP.
Sir Thomas acquired his wealth from his marriage in 1388 to the rich widow Joan Hanham, who was the widow of Bristol cloth merchant Robert Cheddar whose wealth comprised 17 manors.
The ring is made up of two entwined bands and bears an inscription in Medieval French ‘ieo vos tien foi tenes le moy’ which translates to ‘as I hold your faith, hold mine’.
It was a wedding ring given by Sir Thomas Brook to his wife Lady Joan Brook.
Auctioneers Noonans describe it as being in ‘very fine condition’ and weighing about 3g (0.1oz).
Auctioneets Noonans consultant, Nigel Mills, said: ‘It is a great result. The ring is in almost perfect condition and has an inverted diamond set into the raised bezel so that it comes to a point.
‘This was a great result for this beautiful ring, which had a wonderful aura about it, which made you not want to give it back when you held it
‘The ring was found on an old bowling green and Nigel said that Lady Brook could have lost it while playing an early form of croquet there.’
