Hampshire couple uncover £230,000 Tudor coin hoard in back garden

A suburban Hampshire couple have unearthed a hoard of 70 gold Tudor coins worth about £230,000 in their back garden while they were weeding near Milford‑on‑Sea. The stash, found in clumps of clay at the bottom of the garden, was laid out on the decking and washed, revealing a remarkable state of preservation. The coins date from the 1420s through the 1530s, with many from the reigns of Henry VI and Henry VIII. Some pieces bear the initials of two of Henry VIII’s wives, Catherine of Aragon and Jane Seymour. The find is set to be sold at a Zurich auction conducted by David Guest Numismatics. The vendors have asked to remain anonymous, citing concerns about treasure seekers descending on their quiet street. The sale is scheduled for November 5, with the overall pre‑sale estimate around £230,000, and the coins will be offered individually rather than as a single lot.

Milford‑on‑Sea lies near Christchurch Priory in Hampshire, and the hoard is thought to have been buried for safekeeping by a wealthy church cleric during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The couple, in their 50s and with two children, reported the discovery to authorities in 2020. The coins were found in the couple’s back garden. An image from the collection shows a Henry VIII gold Angel coin from the early 16th century, illustrating the era represented by the hoard.

Following the initial discovery, the Portable Antiquities Scheme examined the coins, and the British Museum organized a further archaeological dig that uncovered six additional coins. The earliest pieces date to the 1420s, while the latest extend to 1537, corresponding to the latter years of Henry VIII’s reign. The coins are described as being in a remarkable state of preservation, a factor that has heightened interest among collectors and institutions. The find is linked, in theory, to Christchurch Priory, which is several miles to the west of Milford‑on‑Sea, though no definitive provenance has been established.

Auctioneer David Guest said the hoard appears to have been a savings reserve assembled over a long period. He noted that the total value when the coins were first minted could be compared to the price of a house at the time, underscoring how significant such a collection would have been for a single individual or family. The Dissolution of the Monasteries era was tumultuous, and experts say other hoards from the period were buried to keep money away from royal commissioners seeking land. In this case, the landowner‑finders are also the sellers, which is less common in treasure finds where landowners typically share proceeds with landowners.

The sale in Zurich will proceed with the coins being offered individually, rather than as a single lot, allowing collectors to bid on the most desirable pieces. The vendor’s excitement has been tempered by a practical focus on the process, with the auction house reporting substantial interest in the sale. The event underscores a broader market for Tudor coinage that continues to draw attention from both private collectors and public institutions, particularly given the historical context of the coins and their preservation.

The discovery adds to a broader narrative about Tudor-era wealth distributed across England, including religious houses and lay donors that were affected by the Dissolution. Milford‑on‑Sea’s proximity to Christchurch Priory provides a potential historical backdrop for the hoard, though provenance remains a matter for scholars to explore further. The story also reflects the shifting dynamics of treasure finds in recent years, including earlier challenges posed by the Covid‑19 pandemic, which affected museum purchasing and the timelines for cataloguing and declaring finds. The coins’ journey—from soil to study to sale—highlights the ongoing fascination with Tudor Britain that continues to captivate the public and collectors alike.