Farmland coins declared treasure

More than 1,000 Roman coins found on farmland in south Warwickshire have been declared as treasure trove.

The 1,141 silver Denarii coins were found in Stratford-upon-Avon in July last year, a treasury trove inquest heard.

The coins have a high silver content and the earliest date from 206 to 195 BC, the office said.

Coroner Sean McGovern said the coins were a "significant find". They will now be valued by the British Museum.

A treasure trove inquest is held to establish who found an artefact and when and where it was discovered.

Once it has been declared treasure, local and national museums have the opportunity to acquire it at its full market value once that has been established.

Only in the event of a find being declared 'not treasure', or where no museum expresses an interest in acquiring it, will it be returned to the finder.

The treasure was discovered by Keith Bennett, 46, who has been metal detecting for 11 years.

He said the find gave him an incredible feeling of history and going back in time.

"I felt a sense of connection with the person who buried these coins all those years ago," he said.

"I wondered who they were and why they didn't come back for it."