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Man finds 400 Roman coins thanks to metal detector hobby

In a farmer's field near Maidstone, Kent, Steve Dean, Glenn Church and Ed Denovan discovered a hoard of around 400 Roman coins, with the exact spot withheld to deter nighthawkers.
After an hour's detecting, the three detectorists found scattered coins and then many cradled in a broken pot about 14 inches below ground, prompting them to call professionals.
Isle Heritage archaeologists Dr Andrew Richardson and Paul-Samuel Armour arrived within the hour to excavate, and experts at the British Museum may take up to two years to study and value the coins.
This find is rare and hugely significant to detectorists, as such hoards are found only a few times each year and the money from any sale will be split 50-50 between the three detectorists and the farmer who owns the field.
The hoard shows Romans were here around 1,800 years ago, but further excavation is delayed until next year because the farmer has sown the field.

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