Medieval gold cross found by Norwich detectorist for sale

The 31mm-long (1.2in) cross will be auctioned with an "extremely rare" Edward III gold leopard coin (left) and an Anglo-Saxon gold shilling (right)

A medieval pendant discovered in a muddy field by a metal detectorist could reach £8,000 at auction.

Jason Willis, 38, from Norwich, found the 11th or 12th Century gold cross while detecting with friends at Sutton St Edmund, Lincolnshire, in April 2019.

"I knew it was something special by the shining yellow colour," he said.

A gold coin found at Reepham, Norfolk, and an Anglo-Saxon shilling discovered at Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, will be included in the same sale.

The tiny cross could have been imported through King's Lynn, which was part of the Hanseatic League North Sea trading alliance and is about 20 miles (32km) from where it was found

Mr Willis has spent every Sunday metal-detecting with friends over the past six years, travelling all over east and southern England.

The builder said he found the 31mm-long (1.2in) cross a few centimetres below the ground.

Metal detecting and the law

• No search can begin until permission has been given by the landowner

• All finds belong to the landowner

• Any find in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that is more than 300 years old, made of gold or silver, or found with gold or silver artefacts, could be treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act

• These must be reported to the appropriate county finds liaison officer

Source: Portable Antiquities Scheme

The two-day auction begins on Tuesday

"A very similar example was discovered in Denmark," according to Frances Noble, head of the jewellery department and associate director of auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb.

• 'Rare' Edward III coin could sell for £140k

• Anglo-Saxon coin discovered in field to be sold

• Largest hoard of gold Anglo-Saxon coins unearthed

Its artefacts and antiquities consultant Nigel Mills suggested the cross could have been connected with the medieval hermitage and chapel at Throckenholt, which is within the Sutton St Edmund parish.

The two-day auction begins on Tuesday.

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