The fortune of a former metal detectorist was changed overnight after he found a rare gold coin worth £6,48,000.
Michael Leigh-Mallory found the coin when he was on his first metal detecting outing in over a decade on a farmland in Devon, UK in September, last year. Mallory had no idea how valuable it was.
After a photo of the coin was uploaded on Facebook, a specialist from Spink auctioneers revealed the coin was a Henry III penny, thought to have been made in 1257, near Hemyock in Devon. The penny is said to show the first ‘true’ portrait of an English King on his throne, according to a report of Mirror.
It is so rare that only eight of these were known to exist. The ones found earlier all are in museums.
Since then, Michael’s coin has gone under the hammer and earned him a life-changing £6,48,000 (Rs 6.5 crore). According to reports, it was the most valuable Medieval English coun ever sold at an auction.
The buyer, who has decided to remain anonymous, said he will loan the coin to a museum of an institution. As for Michael, he decided to split the worth of the coin 50/50 with the owner of the farm.
The 52-year-old said he plans to use the money to fund the education of his 13-year-old daughter Emily, and 10-year-old son Harry.
