Rare Roman discovery allows UK enthusiast to pay off mortgage after £78k haul

Rare Roman discovery allows UK enthusiast to pay off mortgage after £78k haulThe discovery of the treasure chest included a Roman general's ring and hundreds of Roman coins. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Conor Wilson, News Reporter 19:52, Sat, Jun 6, 2026 Updated: 19:52, Sat, Jun 6, 2026 The 2017 find has been subjected to ownership disputes (Image: Getty)A metal detectorist has paid off his mortgage after unearthing a rare Roman gold ring believed to have belonged to a senior military figure or high-ranking official. Kevin Minto, 68, discovered the extraordinary artefact alongside a friend, in a field near Ilminster, Somerset, during a metal-detecting rally. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) The former soldier and lorry driver initially thought he had found a coin after spotting something glinting in the mud. But the object turned out to be a large gold Roman ring, weighing 48 grams and set with an engraved gemstone showing Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, driving a two-horse chariot. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy PolicyThe ring is thought to have belonged to a Roman general or high-ranking official (Ima...