Retiree Finds Sheriff of Nottingham's Gold Ring Worth $11K

Graham Harrison was breaking apart a clod of dirt when gold suddenly gleamed back at him, and he burst into what he calls his "gold dance."

The 65-year-old retired engineer had just made the find of a lifetime on a farm near Sherwood Forest. After sending his discovery to the British Museum, he learned he'd unearthed a gold signet ring that belonged to Sir Matthew Jenison, who served as Sheriff of Nottingham from 1683 to 1684.

The location makes the story even better. Harrison found the ring just 27 miles from Sherwood Forest, the legendary home of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. While Robin Hood's tales date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, the folk hero would have loved knowing an everyday person ended up with the Sheriff's treasure.

Sir Matthew wasn't exactly a model citizen either. He got knighted in 1683 and later served in Parliament, but his family's wealth came from questionable sources. The Jenisons became rich after keeping a treasure trove that others had left with them for safekeeping during the English Civil War.

The ring bears the Jenison family coat of arms and spent centuries buried in the earth. Harrison had found nothing all day while other detectorists kept discovering hammered coins. Then his metal detector beeped, and everything changed.

Sunny's Take

This story feels like justice served cold, or rather, dug up centuries later. An ordinary guy with a metal detector beats the odds to find nobility's lost treasure near the forest where Robin Hood supposedly robbed from the rich to give to the poor. The universe has a sense of humor.

The ring sat in Harrison's drawer for a while before he decided to sell it at auction. He wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate its historical significance. Hansons Auctions sold it for £8,500, roughly $11,115.

Here's hoping Harrison does what Robin Hood would have done with the Sheriff's jewelry.