Rare coin found by metal detectorist in farmers field sells for £4,700

The coin is nearly 2,000 years old

A rare gold coin which was discovered by a metal detectorist in a farmer's field near Dudley has sold for £4,700 at auction.

Ron Walters, 76, had been searching a section of land in Wall Heath, near Dudley in the West Midlands, for six years.

Last May, the retired welder's efforts paid off when he stumbled across an artefact dating back to 69AD.

Not only is the gold coin an item of significant monetary value, it also turns out to have quiet the historical substance - believed to be the first aureus of emperor Aulus Vitellius to ever be recorded as a find in England.

Aulus Vitellius was a Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69 - the last of Nero's three short-lived successors.

He came to power after the defeat of Emperor Otho in a civil war between rival claimants to the imperial throne.

His reign was characterized by indulgence in luxury, feasting, and an excessive lifestyle, which contrasted with the growing instability within the empire.

After Ron's remarkable discovery, the coin was sent to the British Museum, which disclaimed it.

It was then returned to Ron before it went under the hammer at Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge, West Midlands on Thursday.

To Ron's delight, the item sold for £4,700. The proceeds will now be split between the landowner and himself.

Ron revealed that he stumbled across the incredible find after being told by his wife to "bugger off and get out the house for a bit."

"I was glad I did," the great-grandfather-of-seven explained. "I was out for a couple of hours and I picked a signal up. I started digging a bit but then lost the signal.

"I managed to get this reading again from a clod of earth about 2ft away from me, I broke it open and then this coin dropped into my hand."

Ron continued: "My heart was racing, I just popped it in my pocket and went straight back home.

"In metal detecting circles, a Roman coin is probably among the best things you can find."

When asked how he felt after the coin has fetched almost 5k at auction, Ron replied: "I thought it might go for a bit more but it's been amazing to be part of a historic discovery and it's certainly something to tell the grandkids.

"I'll keep on searching for more treasures with my metal detector but they did tell me this was a once in a lifetime find, so I doubt I'll find anything like this ever again.