Farm and fortune!
THEY have remained underground since worried English soldiers buried them before battle more than 700 years ago.
Now a pile of 14th century coins has been unearthed in a field.
Metal detector enthusiasts uncovered the 16 medieval English hammered silver coins at a dig on Sunday at a farm near the village of Dunning, Perthshire.
The dig, organised by DetectingScotland.com, the country’s biggest metal detecting club, also uncovered two silver Roman coins dating from the 1st century.
Other artefacts uncovered included a spindle whorl from a medieval spinning loom, a 17th century spectacle buckle, several musket balls and a hand cannon.
Club administrator Grant Maxwell said: ‘It could indicate movement of soldiers in the 14th century. These English coins could have been stashed by English soldiers on their way to battle, although we don’t know which battle.’
Historian Catherine Gillies said: ‘Burying stuff on the way to battle did happen. People hid coins if they thought things might go awry.
‘Sixteen coins might not seem much but at that time it could have been a person’s wealth.’
The first of the medieval coins were discovered by Colin Mclldowie and his son, Stuart, 16, from Erskine, Renfrewshire.
Mr Maxwell said: ‘The coins they found were possibly in a purse that was below the top of the plough line, so the lion’s share could be a wee bit deeper.’
Metal detector Sinclair Yates was accompanied by his wife Carol on her first dig and she found the first Roman coin of the day. Mr Maxwell added: ‘Sinclair handed his wife the machine and she had a shot. She found a Roman silver denarius straight away.’
As the finds are more than 300 years old they will be reported to Treasure Trove Scotland.