Look what this Leeds father and son dug up while out metal detecting

Guiseley dad Andy Firth, an emergency medical technician for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, found the gold ring brooch – believed to date back to the 13th or 14th century – while out on fields near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, with his “carbon copy” son Ryan, 10.

Mr Firth, 50, has been metal detecting for 40 years and his son has also caught the bug.

On one outing, the youngster was desperate to find a “hammered” – coins that were minted in medieval times, made by hammering them between two dies. As the pair scanned the field, Ryan came upon a piece of white lead – which can indicate medieval activity.

Mr Firth’s machine then began to sound, and he saw gold on the surface. He said: “I really wish you could bottle that feeling, made even better that my son was there to share the moment. This my best find to date, not because of the value but because of the sheer beauty of the brooch. I have looked long and hard at it and I cannot for the life of me fathom how a goldsmith 700 years ago was able to create such beauty on such a small object, they were true craftsmen and I have total respect for them.”

Before the day was out, Ryan even discovered his first hammered coin.

It will be auctioned tomorrow, with an estimated value of £6,000 to £8,000. For details, visit https://timelineauctions.com/lot/gold-i-am-a-gift-of-love-posy-ring-brooch/110718/