Ring and rare coins unearthed in villages

A Roman silver snake ring and rare Iron Age gold coins have been unearthed in two Staffordshire villages by metal detecting enthusiasts.

The finds - up to 2,000 years old - have been described as "exciting" by experts.

South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh yesterday declared them to be treasure. The hoard will now be sent to a special valuation committee in London which will assess how much they are worth.

The four coins were found in Gnosall, near Stafford, between July 4 and 18 last year by metal detectors from the Shropshire Search Society which also covers Staffordshire.

The treasure trove inquest in Cannock heard that the well-preserved coins, called staters, were made between AD 30 and 50 by a pre-Roman tribe called the Corieltavi. The Roman snake ring was found on a farm in Gailey, between Penkridge and Wolverhampton, on land that was under pasture.

The jewellery, thought to be from the 2nd to 3rd century AD, was discovered on March 25 this year by a metal detectorist from the Bloxwich Research and Metal Detector Club, which meets at Norton Canes.