The discovery of 69 gold coins from the Tudor era surprised a local family and numismatic experts. Why they claim this exceptional set of Renaissance gold coins marks a milestone in research into the country’s monarchical past During routine maintenance work on a fence in the garden of a family home in a coastal area of Hampshire, in southern England, a discovery changed the lives of its owners and caught the attention of the international community of collectors and numismatics experts.
Hidden under a layer of clay, the soil of that quiet garden concealed a treasure trove of 69 gold coins dating from the turbulent 15th and 16th centuries, specifically from the Tudor dynasty, one of the most remarkable periods in English history. The discovery took place in two phases: first, in 2020, the owners found 63 coins while carrying out work on their property’s fence. Instead of immediately publicising their discovery, the family chose to follow the legal and responsible route, notifying the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, a body specialising in managing and documenting discoveries of archaeological value made by private citizens across the country.
Experts believe that the treasure was hidden during the dissolution of the monasteries for fear of confiscation; now it has come to light intact and documented as never before. The intervention of this body led, a few months later, to archaeologists going to the site and finding six additional coins, reinforcing the value and uniqueness of the discovered collection. The Hampshire treasure stands out not only for its quantity — 69 gold coins — but also for the rarity of such finds. Although the United Kingdom is known for its numerous finds of buried silver coins, gold coins belonging to the Tudor period are considerably less frequent.
This fact makes the so-called “New Forest Hoard” one of the most extraordinary finds on English soil in recent decades. The hoard, known as the “New Forest Hoard”, includes coins from the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV, Henry VII and Henry VIII. Among the coins recovered are examples minted during the reigns of such iconic figures as Henry VI, Edward IV, Henry VII and Henry VIII. Some pieces even have unusual engravings, such as the names of two of Henry VIII’s wives and the initials of a third, elements that lend historical value and uniqueness to the collection.
According to the catalogue for the upcoming auction, this is the ‘only complete and fully documented hoard of gold coins from the early Tudor period ever to be sold at auction,’ as detailed in Smithsonian Magazine. The management of the find has followed a meticulous process since its discovery. Initially kept secret by its discoverers, the hoard was duly reported to the relevant authorities in accordance with British legislation governing archaeological treasures found by private individuals. The lot, recovered step by step and certified by the British Museum, includes unique coins from Tudor cardinals and queens and reflects the secrets and fears of Henry VIII’s era.
Subsequently, expert archaeologists visited the family’s garden, documented each stage of the discovery and ensured the conservation and detailed study of the coins, thus preserving both the material value and the historical context of the find. Now, all eyes are on the auction scheduled for 5 November, organised by the Swiss auction house Numismatica Ars Classica, which specialises in receiving and evaluating this type of exceptional lot. According to information from Smithsonian Magazine, the initial valuation exceeds £240,000, although expectations are rising with the words of numismatist and entrepreneur David Guest to Fox News Digital: ‘I am convinced that the final price will be considerably higher than the pre-sale estimate.’
Due to its integrity, exceptional documentation and historical appeal, the international community is eagerly awaiting the outcome of this auction, which promises to make the Bosque Novo Treasure one of the most valuable and sought-after numismatic collections today. The Tudor treasure auction, organised by Numismatica Ars Classica, has an initial valuation of over $300,000.
Beyond its material and commercial value, the treasure is linked to one of the most turbulent periods in English history: the Reformation led by Henry VIII. It was during this period, during the first phase of the break with the Vatican and the dissolution of the old monasteries, that many of the Catholic Church’s assets were requisitioned or placed at risk of confiscation.
Regarding the context and reasons for the discovery, Guest states: ‘Although we may never know why or who buried the treasure, it is almost certain that it was hidden during the tumultuous early phase of the English Reformation, when Henry VIII was dissolving the old monasteries of England and appropriating much of the wealth of the Catholic Church.’
These statements reflect the uncertainty surrounding the origin of the treasure, but also the context of fear and secrecy that characterised 16th-century England. Guest adds details about the symbolism of the collection: ‘The coins in the treasure bear the names of four kings, two queens and a cardinal.’ The auction of the Tudor coins has sparked intrigue and competition in the global numismatic circuit due to the integrity and exceptional provenance of this unique collection. Many churches and individuals at the time chose to bury their riches as a way of preserving their heritage and ensuring that they could be recovered when circumstances were less threatening.
This strategy of “burying gold or silver in times of risk” has been recurrent since the advent of hard currency and continues to explain the provenance of many treasures discovered centuries later. The Tudor treasure found in Hampshire is a direct testimony to these ancestral practices and the cycles of uncertainty and resilience that have marked British history. With their upcoming sale on the international auction circuit, these coins represent not only a valuable material asset, but also an invaluable window into the past and its secrets yet to be uncovered.
