'Treasure trove' of gold coins found in Oxfordshire up for auction

A collection of antique gold coins, valued at more than £40,000, is set to be sold at auction.

The privately-held collection is made up of more than 100 gold coins, dating from the late 17th to the 20th Century.

The coins had been brought to an antiques valuation event in Wardington, Oxfordshire, and are due to be auctioned later this month.

Kinghams's auctioneers described the collection as a "treasure trove of gold".

It contains coins from the reigns of seven British monarchs, including George III, George IV, William IV, and Queen Victoria.

One of the rarest is a George IV half sovereign from 1821, which is expected to fetch between £2,000 and 2,500.

The collection also includes a James II guinea from 1686, valued between £1,200 and £1,500, and a William & Mary Elephant & Castle guinea from 1689, which is expected to sell for between £1,100 and £1,300.

Kinghams Auctioneers' Steven Bruce said the collection had been amassed by a private collector "over many years".

"Some of the coins are of a very good grade. It is the best collection I have seen in my long career.

"The quantity and quality rarely come up for sale, particularly belonging to one owner."

Mr Bruce said the collection was expected to attract international interest from collectors and investors.

As well as the British coins, international currency - including from Napoleonic France and early-20th-Century US - also feature in the collection.

The collection will go under the hammer at the Gloucestershire-based auctioneers on 23 May.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.