A hoard of gold sovereigns and silver bars found behind a sofa has sold at auction for more than £30,000. The treasure trove was found by the auctioneer during a routine house clearance in Northamptonshire on 25 January.
More than 100 22-carat gold sovereigns and 16 solid silver bars – each no bigger than a mobile phone – were packed into a zipped-up suitcase.
Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert described the find as “incredible”. The collection went under the hammer at J P Humbert Auctions in Whittlebury on Tuesday. Every piece of the entire collection was sold separately with individual bids ranging from £190 to £480.
The 16 solid silver bars, weighing 2.2lb (1kg) each, are engraved by the Swiss bullion makers Metalor.
Mr Humbert said the house owner, who wants to remain anonymous, had made a casual reference to a suitcase behind the sofa containing gold.
He said: “I went to pick it up and I almost pulled my shoulder out of its socket, it was so heavy – so I had to drag it out unceremoniously. It was incredible. My eyes lit up – it was quite a find.”
Source: BBC News
