Buried treasure trove of 50 solid gold coins found in Milton Keynes garden

A lucky resident has found a stash of gold in an MK garden during lockdown.
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The British museum says the rare find of 50 modern South African Krugerrand 1oz solid gold coins were found "by chance" in the garden.

They were minted in 22 carat gold by the Rand Refinery in Germiston in the 1970s during the period of apartheid, and how they ended up in MK is a mystery, said the museum.

It is estimated each coin is worth between £1,500 and £2,000.

50 of these gold South African coins were found. Photo: YouTube50 of these gold South African coins were found. Photo: YouTube
50 of these gold South African coins were found. Photo: YouTube

The Milton Keynes Coroner will now hold a special treasure trove inquest to decide what will happen to them. If they are officially classed as treasure, the British Museum will have a right to keep them. If not, the finder can keep them. But either way, the finder or landowner will be suitably compensated.

Meanwhile, police and the coroner must determine whether the original owner of the coins is known and can be found. . It is hoped that by making the find public, someone with information will come forward to either the Milton Keynes coroner or the British Museum.

The coins have a picture of Paul Kruger, former President of the South African Republic, on one side and a springbok, South Africa's national animal. on the other.

The Krugerrand accounted for more than 90 per cent of the global gold coin market before 1980 and was the number one choice for investors buying gold. But during the 1980s and 1990s, the coins fell out of favoour, with some western countries forbidding their import because of its association with the apartheid government of South Africa