Unopened 1902 Cadbury coronation chocolates up for sale

The special Cadbury's chocolates were put into a tin to celebrate the 1902 coronations of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

A tin of 121-year-old chocolates celebrating the coronations of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra is up for sale.

Cadbury produced the commemorative tins to mark the event on 26 June 1902, featuring the monarchs on the front.

They were given to County Durham schoolgirl Mary Ann Blackmore, but the nine-year-old chose not to eat the vanilla chocolate and kept it instead.

They have since been passed down the generations of her family untouched.

Jean Thompson as a baby in 1951, held by her great-grandmother Mary Jane Blackmore (front right) on her 90th birthday, with her mother Mary Ann Blackmore (left) - who was given the coronation chocolates in 1902 - and her grandmother Lena Milburn

Her granddaughter, Jean Thompson, 72, decided to take the tin to Hanson's Auctioneers in Derby.

Morven Fairlie, of the auctioneers, said: "Back in that time, this was a real treat, children never got chocolate.

"It was obviously such a special gift to this little girl that she thought she couldn't even touch it."

The vanilla chocolates were given to the nine-year-old schoolgirl but were never eaten

The chocolates - then all made in Bournville, Birmingham - have been estimated to reach at least £100 to £150 later this month.

Mrs Fairlie said a potential buyer was likely to be someone who collected royal memorabilia, especially from this time.

"It may make more, sometimes you get a few bidders, people who want a piece of history, and the price could rocket," she added.

The commemorative tin features the Cadbury Bros Ltd name engraved into the back of it

The 121-year-old chocolates have far passed their use-by date.

"Nobody's going to be eating it," she added.

"If you do open the tin, it does smell of chocolate, but I wouldn't want to risk it."