While working on a kitchen renovation in England, a couple had no idea they were in for some good fortune. What they mistook for a piece of electrical cable turned out to be a gold disc containing rare gold coins. The couple had been working on the kitchen floorboards of their 18th-century detached home for over ten years. They thought they had found a piece of electrical cable, but when they lifted it up, they discovered a cup the size of a can of Coke filled with gold coins dating from 1610 to 1727.
The couple was stunned and couldn’t believe what they had discovered. They contacted London auctioneers Spink & Son, who sent a coin expert to their home to examine the hoard. The coins are thought to have belonged to Joseph Fernley and Sarah Meister. They imported coal, lumber, and iron ore. Their most recent generations were Whig politicians and members of Parliament. Fernley died in 1725, and Sarah died in 1745 in Ellerby…
The discovery and history of the golden coins astonished auctioneer and coin specialist Gregory Edmund. “It is a rare honor for an auctioneer to be graced with a white glove sale (100% sold), but when the story of Joseph and Sarah Fernley and their misers millions came to my attention back in 2019, I just knew the story had to be told,” he explained. “The anonymous finders were completely taken aback by the outcome.
It surpassed all expectations and broke dozens of world records along the way.” According to Spink & Son, the 17th and 18th-century coins are worth approximately $113,010 and could be auctioned for $250,000. However, to the couple’s surprise, they were flogged for a whopping $852, 380. The price rose as the listing attracted more attention from international buyers, primarily from Europe, Australia, and Japan. There were 372 registrants and dozens of successful collectors.
The most expensive piece sold was a 1720s “Unbelievable Mint Error” coin. It was fascinating not only because it was obtained during King George I’s reign, but also because it had two tails instead of one. “This coin sets a new world record for any ‘brockage’ mint error coin of any country ever sold at auction, surpassing a $54,625 US gold dollar sold in Texas in October 2011,” Edmund said.
A Charles II guinea from 1675 was another coin that piqued the interest of buyers. It contains a typo in which the king’s Latin name is spelled CRAOLVS rather than CAROLUS. A 1705 Queen Anne Guinea sold for more than $3,000 as well. “I have never seen a response to an auction like that before, and the results prove it, my provisional estimate was demolished three times over,” Edmund said. He also stated that the sale was one-of-a-kind in many ways.
“The story of the coins, their discovery, and the unique opportunity to acquire them at auction.” “All of this combined in a buoyant and energized market to create incredible new prices as the Ellerby hoard’s 24 coins found new homes,” he added. Edmund explained that selling rare coins at auction is not unusual, but what made the sale extraordinary was the history of the coins and their incredible discovery.
He also hopes that this will not inspire people to renovate their homes and start digging for treasures. “I really hope people think twice before tearing up their floors,” Edmund said.