A Load of Baloney

• being a typical metal detecting news story

A monumental hoard. How the press often report such stories

I remember when local and national media reported the finding of a ‘monumental hoard’ of more than 5,000 silver coins buried during the English Civil War, and uncovered in a Lincolnshire field. Maybe you remember this remarkable find. Paul Coleman, finder of the Lenborough Hoard, found the coins on a Weekend Wanderers rally in 2014. When he told the journalist first on the scene that he had shared petrol money with friends in order to attend, this was reported that he was on the skids and ‘broke’.

Lenborough Hoard of 5,248 Saxon Coins found by Paul Coleman in 2014

When asked about his job, Paul said he was self-employed and looking to expand and that he was, ‘between projects’. This was interpreted as ‘unemployed’. The sad thing is that this mis-reporting was picked up by others and perpetuated! When Paul protested, the journalist said that was the sort of thing that sold newspapers and made the story more interesting. My advice is not to believe everything you read in the media. I hope my account in the The Searcher Magazine was fair and accurate.

Usually, in situations like this, the first journalist picking up the story concentrates on the find and embellishes his report with innocuous words like, ‘the haul was found in a muddy field’. The guy who discovered the hoard is rarely, if ever, referred to as a metal detectorist and, as in this case, only the finder’s name was stated, but with the appellation, local treasure hunter .

Speculation on the money the hoard or artefact is worth is also a perceived newsworthy factor. I reported the story of a detectorist who found a ‘very rare’ Roman ingot. The MailOnline, that arbiter of good taste and fine reporting, stated that the ingot would sell for £60,000. Buried in the text was the information that the auction wasn’t until the end of the month! At the auction it sold for £25,000. Still a tidy sum, but way short of £60,000.

Henry III rare gold penny

A ‘current’ example

A couple of days ago I put a news item on my FaceAche Page, dated 6th January 2023, and taken from the esteemed American publication, The Archaeologist. I admit that I didn’t look too closely at the content. The pertinent question from Frederick Sandar, “When was it found?” made me take a closer look. This is what I found …

The report looked as though it was fresh news, but after a simple search I discovered that it was about one year late. The heading says that the coin was found by a metal detectorist, but in the body of the report he is described as an ecologist who chose to remain anonymous. Poppycock. Michael Leigh-Mallory made the discovery on Sunday September 26 2021. Note the date. Check out his FaceAche page. I also remembered the cover story in The Searcher Magazine of February 2022

The ‘anonymous’ detectorist/ecologist with his Searcher award, cover story and showing coin.

“Ecologist Michael Leigh-Mallory made the discovery on Sunday September 26 last year whilst working on farmland in Hemyock, Devon. By chance, The Leigh-Mallory had his metal detector with him – his first outing in 10 years since giving up on the hobby.” The Archaeologist

This report has been cobbled together by an incompetent and lazy ’journalist’. Perhaps that’s why the piece doesn’t give a writer’s name. The Arkie said that the coin was could sell for about $546,000 [about £449] on the 28th January. They failed to say 2022. Readers, who assumed the date was 2023 were left in the lurch. Spink sold the coin for £540,000 [plus 20% buyer’s premium].

See Michael proudly showing the Searcher Magazine award for being voted winner of the most significant coin category [Nations Greatest Finds 2022]. The short video [below] he filmed with Steph’s Packed Lunch TV show is worth a look.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS