Gold coins discovered beneath Irish pub!

[Neil]

A hoard of gold coins dating back almost 400 years has been discovered hidden in soil beneath the floor boards of a pub in Tipperary.

The 81 coins, which date from the reigns of Charles II, James II, William and Mary and William III, were unearthed by builders on Main Street in Carrick-on-Suir while carrying out groundworks .

It has been described by the National Museum of Ireland as “one of the most significant finds of 17th century gold coins ever found in Ireland”.

The coins, which are being examined by experts from Museum and the National Monuments Service today, appear to be guineas and half guineas, minted in Britain by the Royal Mint from gold imported from West Africa.

Archaeologists from the Museum, who examined the site following the discovery last Friday, believe the coins may have been wrapped and held together by some material which has not survived.

Acting director of the National Museum Seamus Lynam said no comparable 17th century hoard of gold coins has been found in Ireland since the discovery of around 100 gold and silver coins in Portarlington, Co Laois in 1947.

“It has caused a lot of excitement because of the dates, and because of the number of them,” he said.

The coins are considered archaeological objects, which legally become property of the State.

An assessment of their significance and essential conservation work will have to be carried out before it is decided whether the coins will go on public display, Mr Lynam added.

[DEADLOCK]

Good post neil

[nobby]

hmmmm ....need to go and wipe the dribble off my chin now

[Christoph1945]

Oh; no good will come from this; they have robbed the bank o the little people!   

[dances with badgers]

ooooh yeah baby thats what i like.wow

[galoshers]

surprising as ireland was supposed to be mega poor at that time ?
nobody had a pot to pee in and little money around so they say .this was the time of french troops in ireland and the battle of the boyne .william and mary devalued the silver coinage pissing off the locals .big time

[Chef Geoff]

I know for certain that that's NOT the first one since 1947 The one danger of banning legal metal detecting.

[Napoleon]

  wow , very interesting read Neil thanks , i fancy a pint now .

[Da Monkey]

Reminds me of Paint Your Wagon...  Start tunneling...

[Neil]

Was that the one where they were getting the gold dust that had fallen through the floor boards at the bar? Not seen it since I was a kid and bizarrely thought of it this morning!

[Da Monkey]

That was the one, I hate musicals, but I can suffer that one, really funny    The only other one I liked was the one with the indians hijacking the firewater wagons and drink driving, but I cant remember what that one was called...

[glynkid]

Have to dig up the local pub carpark Ha

[Dryland]

what happens to the coins if they don't put them on display ?
will they make a few charm bracelets out of them ? 

[probono]

Wow, that's quite something.

Just a question to Geoff:

I thought that in Ireland you could use a detector if you were looking for a lost ring, or something like that? (and that most of the finds in Ireland were from people who were just 'helping' farmers out looking for a lost tractor part). I know that you can't go out and detect as we can in England/Wales

[cardiffian]

Interesting read. Good post.