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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;daveydempsey, post: 12352462, member: 22&quot;]The rare Ilminster Ring features an engraved gemstone depicting the Roman goddess Victory driving a two-horse chariot</p><p><br /></p><p>A metal detectorist who helped to unearth a rare gold Roman ring in a muddy field has paid off his mortgage after selling the treasure for £75,000.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Ilminster Ring was dug up on a country estate in Somerset by Kevin Minto, a former soldier from Wiltshire, and his friend Phil Costello. </p><p><br /></p><p>Weighing 48g, the large ring features an engraved gemstone depicting the Roman goddess Victoria, which translates as “victory” in Latin, driving a two-horse chariot. It dates to around 297 AD and may have belonged to a Roman army general.</p><p>It is believed the ring, along with hundreds of Roman coins, was buried for safekeeping at a time of unrest in south-west England.</p><p><br /></p><p>The hoard was discovered by Mr Minto, 68, and Mr Costello during a metal-detecting rally in 2017. They found dozens of copper-silver-alloy coins before alerting the rally organisers and the local finds liaison officer</p><p><br /></p><p>A further search of the field then led to them finding the ring.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mr Minto said: “I was on a group dig when I found it. I was walking in this field on an estate by myself and I found a couple of coins. Then I found a couple more and a couple more and realised it was a hoard.</p><p><br /></p><p>“By the end of the day we had something like 200 coins.</p><p>“We returned to the field with the finds liaison officer and that is when Phil found the gold ring.”</p><p><br /></p><p>“It is every detectorist’s dream. When I found it, it was quite overwhelming. I was in state of shock,” added Mr Minto.</p><p><br /></p><p>“It is a ring that is unique to Britain. Because of the size and quality of it, it must have belonged to someone very important like a top Roman general or a high-ranking official.</p><p>“The hoard must have been buried in a pot in the ground and over the years has been struck by a farmer’s plough and scattered.</p><p><br /></p><p>“It doesn’t make sense for just the ring to have been buried with hundreds of coins, there must be more jewellery there.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Mr Minto said: “At the time, you’re tired from digging all day. When you see it, it’s all a bit overwhelming and it didn’t really sink in until I got home that night.</p><p><br /></p><p>“I put the coins on the table and was like, ‘wow’.”</p><p><br /></p><p>South West Heritage Trust raised £78,010 to acquire the Ilminster Ring and hoard, which is made up of 297 coins, with support from Arts Council England. It paid £75,000 for the ring.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mr Minto shared the proceeds with Mr Costello. He said he had already paid off the rest of his mortgage with his share of the proceeds.</p><p><br /></p><p>Experts said the ring was an unparalleled discovery in Britain.</p><p><br /></p><p>Amal Khreisheh, senior curator at South West Heritage Trust, said: “The Ilminster Ring is both large and heavy, with elaborate gold work and a beautifully executed intaglio.</p><p>“While other examples are known, these elements combine to create a spectacular ring that is only paralleled by Continental discoveries.</p><p>“Its discovery sheds light on how South Somerset’s Roman inhabitants navigated a period of unrest from 286–296 AD.</p><p>“It is likely the ring was buried shortly after, in 297 AD, as part of a hoard including coins, lead and pottery objects.”</p><p>She added: “Roman gold is really rare, most jewellery is made out of silver or bronze in this period, so it’s really striking to see in such good condition.”</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]553956[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]553957[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]553958[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]553959[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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