With Hallowe’en just around the corner I thought it would be an appropriate time to share this spooky-looking coin. Someone has literally ‘punched out the lights’ on the kings face of this medieval coin, and made such a thorough job that they’ve managed to add two extra pellets on the reverse. There are many other …more
Category: Coins
Shakespearean Angels
Sophie has already posted on this blog about the wonderful gold Angel coin found in the Derbyshire Dales in 2018, (record DENO-C5A99E ) but I think it is worth returning to the subject, as the Angel has more tales to tell. The Angel was an iconic coin, by Tudor times it sufficiently embedded in the …more
Meet the Volunteer: Meghan
Tell us about yourself I started volunteering for the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in October 2017, a few months after graduating with an MA Archaeology degree at Newcastle University. My undergraduate degree is also in archaeology, and both my dissertations involved looking at archaeology from the 20th century. Since graduating, my aim …more
Gold angel of Henry VII found in Derbyshire
This gold medieval angel of Henry VII was recently found by a detectorists near Ashbourne (DENO-C5A99E). Henry VII, also known as Henry Tudor, was born in 1457 at Pembroke Castle in Wales. He was the son of Margaret Beaufort, a descendent of John of Gaunt, and Edmund Tudor, half-brother to King Henry VI. His mother …more
Rare Cromford Dollars acquired by Derby Museums
A hoard of seven post-medieval silver coins that was discovered by a metal detectorist in 2016 has been acquired by Derby Museums (DENO-BBE206). The contents of the hoard include three Spanish-American 8 reales coins known as ‘dollars’ minted in 1801 and 1802, and four very worn British shillings from the late 17th to 18th century. …more
Counterfeits, clippings and copies in Derbyshire
Derbyshire appears to have been a hotbed of coin counterfeiting in the past. Several counterfeit Roman denarii and 17th century half crowns and shillings have been discovered in the county and recorded with the PAS. Counterfeits were silver plated (e.g. DENO-DAAFF0), or made from base silver and disguised with a silver wash (e.g. PUBLIC-F070C6). They can …more
Vikings in South Derbyshire
Most people with an interest in archaeology, or who have been watching ‘The Last Kingdom’ on the telly, will have heard of the Viking Great Heathen Army which ravaged England in the ninth century. Fewer people may know that the Army overwintered in South Derbyshire, at Repton, in A.D. 873-4. It is unlikely that all …more
Districts of Derbyshire: Erewash
Erewash is a local government district and borough of eastern Derbyshire. It lies to the east of Derby and to the west Nottingham. The borough is home to 112,081 people and the towns of Ikeston and Long Eaton are located here. Occupation in this area seems to date back to at least the Neolithic. Evidence …more
Meet the FLA: Helen
Tell us about yourself. I am the Finds Liaison Assistant for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. I have been working with the PAS for three years and this is my second time working in Derby. I have been FLA since December 2016. What does your role involve? My role involves recording archaeological finds brought in by detectorists, …more
50 Finds From Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire
Alastair Willis’ new book ’50 Finds from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire: Objects from the Portable Antiquities Scheme’ has just been published. The book demonstrates the region’s importance within the country and its links with the outside world. It includes some of the most spectacular finds from the two counties, including the famous Newark Torc and the …more