Celtic fertility figure found in Lincolnshire sells for £2,200

The item is believed to date back to the Celtic period from the 1st Century

A Celtic fertility figure discovered in a Lincolnshire field by a metal detectorist has sold at auction for £2,200.

Paul Shepheard was at a rally in Haconby when he found the bronze nude figure, which is holding a hinged oversized penis in its right hand.

Experts believe the item dates back to the 1st Century and may be a buckle to hold a belt and scabbard for a sword.

It had been expected to raise between £800 and £1,200.

Nigel Mills, consultant in coins and artefacts at Noonans, said the figure, which measures 2.2in (5.5cm) by 0.5in (1.2cm), was sold to a UK buyer.

Commenting on the item, he said it was a representation of a fertility god possibly based on the Roman god Mercury.

"This male figure, with its hinged oversized phallus, would have had symbolic powers of good luck and warding off evil spirits and may have served as a locking mechanism as a buckle to hold a belt and scabbard for a sword," he added.

Paul Shepheard was detecting with his wife Joanne at a rally in Lincolnshire when he discovered the item

Mr Shepheard, 69, from March, Cambridgeshire, was detecting with his wife Joanne, who had found a medieval penny, when he uncovered the figure.

"Finding Items like ours is a rare event and it was great to see how it sold and the interest it received," he said.

Mr Shepheard, who has been detecting for 25 years, said he planned to use the proceeds from the sale to pay for a holiday to Kos for his wife and her mother.

Experts believe the figure is a representation of a fertility god and may have been used as a buckle