logo
Stash of 15th century coins discovered by metal detectorists in Scottish Borders

Stash of 15th century coins discovered by metal detectorists in Scottish Borders

Independent19-02-2025

A stash of rare medieval coins have been discovered by metal detectorists in the Scottish Borders.
Keith Young and Lisa Stephenson unearthed the haul of 30 gold and silver coins in the Cappercleuch area in early November, though the discovery was not publicly announced until Wednesday by the Treasure Trove Unit.
Archaeologists then excavated the site, finding five more coins.
The 15th century artefacts are a mixture of Scots and English coins, with English silver groats minted by King Henry V, King Edward IV, and Scottish gold demys and half-demys minted by Kings James I and II.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, which announced the discovery, said it is likely the coins were deposited at the site in the early to mid-1460s.
After discovering the coins, the duo reported them to the Treasure Trove Unit, which assesses all Scottish archaeological finds. It will then refer it to the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel, an independent panel which will assign the coins a monetary value, which will be paid to the finders.
Mr Young said: 'Lisa and I have been lucky enough to have found some wonderful artefacts while metal detecting, but nothing quite prepared us for a find like this.
'Hopefully the hoard will go on public display for others to enjoy.'
Ms Stephenson added: 'The hoard is the find of a lifetime and being part of the excavation with the National Museum and Treasure Trove team was an amazing experience, something we'll never forget.'
Antony Lee from the Treasure Trove Unit said: 'Coin hoards containing a mix of both English and Scottish coins are not unusual, but we do not see many hoards from this period in Scotland, so it's a fascinating find.
'Keith and Lisa acted promptly and correctly in reporting it to us.
'In turn we, along with archaeologists from National Museums Scotland, were able to attend and excavate the site, finding five more coins and documenting the circumstances of the hoard alongside the finders.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Falkirk Council has three times as many complaints as national average
Falkirk Council has three times as many complaints as national average

Daily Record

timean hour ago

  • Daily Record

Falkirk Council has three times as many complaints as national average

By far the biggest cause for complaint was 'ongoing or incomplete repair times' Falkirk Council has three times the number of complaints compared to the Scottish average, members of its Scrutiny committee heard today (Tuesday). The largest number related to 'ongoing or incomplete repairs' (1030), but in the top ten reasons were also complaints about waste collection (364), staff conduct (206) and housing repairs (188). ‌ Stage 1 complaints in Falkirk also included council tenant advice & support (144) and 131 for household waste assisted collections. ‌ But the report was keen to highlight that while the council receives a higher number of complaints, "it is quicker to respond and more successful at early resolution". In 2023/24, Falkirk Council received 34 complaints per 1000 of population, compared with the national average of 11.5. ‌ The average time it took to respond was six working days, three days quicker than the national average. For stage two complaints, it took on average 20 days, compared with the Scottish average of 22. Of the stage one complaints, in Falkirk ten per cent were fully upheld - compared with the Scottish average of 32 per cent. ‌ At the first stage, 30 per cent of complaints were resolved quickly, compared to the Scottish average of 14 per cent. Stage 2 outcomes saw eight per cent of Falkirk's complaints being fully upheld, compared to the Scottish average of 26 per cent. Of the 47 complaints that have gone to the Scottish Public Ombudsman Service, just one was upheld. ‌ Members were also cautioned that not all councils provide the same services so making direct comparisons is not always possible. Some local authorities do not have housing or building maintenance departments, while these are by far the most common areas for complaints to Falkirk Council. Last year, 1030 stage one complaints concerned 'ongoing or incomplete repairs'. ‌ Members heard that "a lot of activity" is ongoing to improve the repairs procedure, which has already led to a fall in complaints, from 1347 last year. Members were told that ongoing training to give the workforce "bolt-on skills" is expected to have a big impact on improving customer satisfaction, as will a recently introduced booking system for appointments. The Director of Place Services, Malcolm Bennie, added that it was important to see the figures in context. ‌ "Every year we carry out around 40.000 repairs so the 1300 complaints you see before is actually 2-3 per cent. "I'm not saying those complaints are not important. We will drive service improvement wherever we can but it's important when you see a large number like that you have to understand the context that tens of thousands of repairs are happening. "We do tenant satisfaction checks with tenants about how happy they are with the repairs that are carried out and typically the scores are very high. ‌ "The BMD service is actually working well, on an improvement journey, and we are looking forward to coming back to Scrutiny later this year with a full suite of information." With just one year's figures to compare, Councillor Gordon Forrest was concerned at the lack of data from previous years, which would allow them to "see the bigger picture". He was told it had not been retained due to data protection rules but anonymised data that has been collated will be kept from now on to make future comparison. ‌ Councillor Alf Kelly also wanted to fully understand why complaints were dropping, saying: "If we don't know why complaints are dropping, we don't know where we are succeeding." Councillor Lorna Binnie said she was particularly concerned to see 206 complaints about staff conduct and wanted to understand more about the reasons for these, and how many had been upheld. Director of communities, Karen Algie, assured members that all complaints about staff conduct are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. The figures are reported to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) which says councils must have processes in place to learn from complaints and use this learning to improve service delivery.

Cat missing for two years reunited with Scots family thanks to microchip
Cat missing for two years reunited with Scots family thanks to microchip

Daily Record

timean hour ago

  • Daily Record

Cat missing for two years reunited with Scots family thanks to microchip

Spot the cat vanished from her home in Aberdeen in 2023. A pet cat has been reunited with her Scots owners after going missing for two years - thanks to the power of a microchip. Spot the cat vanished from her home in Aberdeen in 2023, leaving her family heartbroken. Unbeknown to them, the feline had been making her way around the countryside, surviving on her own. ‌ But on February 11, a member of the public found Spot with a leg injury in the Whitecairns area of the city. They called in officers from the Scottish SPCA, who were able to discover her microchip during a routine check. ‌ Within hours, Scottish SPCA were in touch with her owners, leading to a heartfelt reunion two years in the making. Her story has been shared as part of National Microchipping Month - a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of keeping pet microchip information current. Microchipping is the most effective way to identify a lost pet and increases the chances of reuniting with their owner. Scottish SPCA Animal Rescue Officer Lynn Cruickshank said: 'This is exactly why we always encourage pet owners to microchip their animals and keep their contact details current. "Spot's story could have ended very differently if she wasn't microchipped. Thanks to that small chip, she's now back where she belongs.' ‌ Spot has since had to have one of her legs amputated. She is recovering well at home and is adjusting brilliantly to life on three legs. Her family shared: 'She's doing great and absolutely loving being back home. She's coping well and is now living a happy life as a house cat.' ‌ Director of Innovation and Strategic Relations, Gilly Mendes Ferreira said: 'We believe it should be mandatory to microchip cats not just dogs and any other animal where it is deemed appropriate. We also believe that there should be one national microchipping database. 'Due to the roaming nature of cats, they can get lost, be mistaken for strays or return to another area after moving house, where other people may take them in. "Mandatory microchipping would help identify owners and keep people and their pets together. ‌ 'Scotland needs to implement this to stop owner disputes, cat theft and to help identify negligent owners. The Scottish SPCA is actively promoting the benefits of microchipping cats and encouraging owners to get their pet's microchipped. 'While it's not yet a legal requirement for cats in Scotland, we strongly recommend it for the safety and well-being of cats. 'We include microchipping as a standard procedure before rehoming cats and provide information on the importance of keeping contact details up to date." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

Scots warned of bin collection chaos this week - check if you will be impacted
Scots warned of bin collection chaos this week - check if you will be impacted

Daily Record

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Scots warned of bin collection chaos this week - check if you will be impacted

The local authority has apologised for the changes to the bin schedule and has issued advice for residents Scots are being warned about disruption to their bin collections, with thousands facing changes to when they can expect their rubbish to be lifted. This is after a refuse worker was apparently hurt after getting caught in the lorry's lifting mechanism, as per the BBC. The lifting mechanisms on all Scottish Borders Council bin lorries have now been suspended over safety concerns. No household food waste will be collected as a result of the incident. ‌ Instead, locals have been asked to put food waste in their general bin. Domestic food waste collections have been suspended between June 9 and June 13. ‌ The local authority told the BBC they are unsure of when normal service will resume. The news affects residents in the Scottish Borders who reportedly face a second week of upset. "We are not sure how long this disruption will continue," a council spokesperson told the broadcaster. "If you do not have enough space in your food waste bin, we ask that you place any food waste into your general waste bin until further notice. We are very sorry for this inconvenience. "If your general waste or recycling bin is not collected as scheduled, please leave it presented as we will make every effort to return for it." They added that if services haven't returned by Sunday, households should take their bins back and then present them outside again on the next scheduled collection day. ‌ They highlighted that "remaining restraints" will be removed by staff where possible but in the case this can not occur, they "will not be able to collect the bin". The spokesperson added that they can not guarantee that all restraints removed by staff will be returned and ask for "continued patience and cooperation" until the matter is resolved. The council's website states that collections may change due to public holidays at Christmas and New Year. ‌ Otherwise, with the exception of this latest incident, there should be no changes to collections on other public holidays throughout the year. Elsewhere, North Lanarkshire councillors have spoken out against the local authority's impending charges for brown bin collections. From June 1, North Lanarkshire Council has started charging £40 a year for the service. ‌ However, council tenants who need a permit will benefit from having their permit costs incorporated into their rental costs, which means their permit charge is spread over the year. Meanwhile, private renters, housing association tenants and home owners will be forced to pay the full permit fee up front. Progressive Change North Lanarkshire's housing spokesperson, Gerry Brennan branded the move "ill-conceived and completely unfair on those council tax payers who do not rent their homes from North Lanarkshire Council." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store