Bronze Age gold found in Andover using metal detector

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Boy, 10, discovers Bronze Age gold in Andover using metal detector - but almost threw it away because he thought it was a bit of FOIL



A 10-year-old boy who discovered a rare Bronze Age gold treasure with his metal detector almost threw it away because he thought it was a bit of foil.

Patrick Hooper struck gold during a dig on land near Andover, Hampshire, but didn't bother to mention it to his father Andrew, who was also metal detecting, believing it to be rubbish.

The schoolboy even put the ribbon gold in his 'trash' bag which his father usually empties straight into the bin when they return home.
But luckily IT salesman Mr Hooper, 47, tipped out the contents onto their doorstep and spotted the rare gold, which is believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old.

It is now being examined and recorded as suspected prehistoric treasure which could be worth thousands of pounds.

The four-inch strip of gold is believed to have either been worn in women's hair or to decorate a dagger handle.

It could be worth thousands of pounds, which will be split 50/50 between Patrick and the landowner, who has been notified of the 'incredible find.'

'It's unusual for anyone to find any archaeological items of cultural significance and even more unusual for them to be found by a little boy,' said Simon Maslin, Finds Liaison Officer for Surrey and Hampshire.

'This is a suspected piece of prehistoric treasure which will be recorded under the 1996 Treasure Act. It is believed to be Bronze Age ribbon gold which is enigmatic as it was used for personal adornment.
'The form, the shape and the decoration are all indicative of that time, and it's not very common to find such a piece.'

He refused to comment on the value of the piece, which will have to be declared as treasure by the County Coroner.

'I can't believe that I've possibly found something so rare that it's treasure,' Patrick said. 'I wasn't even excited when I found it. I had a strong signal and dug the metal out but when I saw it I thought: 'Oh it's just a bit of gold foil.'

'It looked like a sweet wrapper and I put it in the trash bag and didn't even mention it to anyone as I thought it was rubbish.

'Normally Dad empties the trash bag straight into the bin but this time he didn't. It's so lucky otherwise we would have thrown it away. I've told all my friends that I've found some treasure and they all think it's cool.'

Patrick, who started metal detecting 18 months ago and was recently bought a £350 Nokta Makro Simplex as a present by his parents, discovered the ribbon on July 31.

He'd gone out on a dig with metal detecting club Soil Searchers on a piece of land - which they won't identify publically - after getting the permission from the owner.

Read full article here  :  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8619549/Boy-10-discovers-Bronze-Age-gold-Andover.html