New research by online metals retailer metals4U has revealed the UK’s most lucrative areas for metal detection. Metal detectors have discovered more than 44,000 archaeological items in the past 12 months, meaning 120 treasures are unearthed every day.
Norfolk is in first place, with more than 6,500 items discovered since June 2019, including a Bronze Age sword and medieval chandelier.
And this number is likely to increase as Britons are looking for new outdoor hobbies to enjoy on their summer vacation.
Following Norfolk, Leicestershire and Suffolk are the best places to find treasures, with 4,101 and 3,105 discoveries respectively in the past year.
Most of the archaeological items originated in the Roman, medieval, and post-medieval periods.
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In Norfolk, coins (2,142) were the most commonly found object, followed by buckles (450), pots (206), and clasps (201).
Other fascinating finds include a Bronze Age sword, medieval chandelier, and various post-medieval toys.
For those interested in the Roman period, Suffolk is the place to go, with over 1,500 objects found from that time in the past year.
These included a copper ring and a folding knife possibly dating back to 43 AD, when Emperor Claudius ordered four legions to conquer Britain.
Many detectors dream of finding gold and in the last year, 216 items made of precious metals were discovered in the UK.
Hampshire was the golden capital of the United Kingdom, with 25 objects unearthed, including an impressive 7th-century pendant.
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- Civil War cannonball (c. 1600-1800 AD) The light cannon was developed in the late 15th century, but is likely to date back to the English Civil War if it is a cannonball.
It is also possible that the object is a form of ball bearing or a ball from a grinding mill.
- Mesolithic Knife (C. 7000-4000 BC): This gray flint knife was collected from the East Coast.
A long, thin leaflet with long, narrow parallel leaflets struck from its dorsal side with a tiny bulb at the end of a concave ventral surface.
- Ax (c. 4000-2351 BC) This stone originates from the windowsill of Whin in northern England, but is abundant in eastern counties and is frequently found on the beaches of Norfolk and Suffolk.
Paul McFadyen, Managing Director of metals4U, said: “It is incredible to see the number and variety of discoveries in the last 12 months, from 4,000 BC and throughout the centuries.
“The data shows that there is still much to discover.
“Since many stayed in the UK this summer, we wanted to highlight metal detecting as a fun hobby that you can enjoy outdoors while you are away socially and hope it inspires people to give it a try.”
