Treasure hunter finds ancient coin ‘with engraving of Donkey from Shrek’ in Buckinghamshire
A TREASURE hunter was stunned when he unearthed an ancient coin with an engraving of Donkey from Shrek on it.
Ron Silvester, 69, was metal detecting for the very first time when he found the 2,000-year-old silver coin in a field in Buckinghamshire.
It was later identified as a 'Tasciovnos Ver' coin, which dates back to the Iron Age, a time when Britain was ruled by warring tribes.
In its prime the piece would have depicted a noble horse but over time parts of the face have faded away.
What is left of the engraving is an uncanny resemblance to the much-loved donkey that is voiced by Eddie Murphy in the Shrek movies.
Ron, a retired javelin coach, had never even picked up a metal detector before and was only out accompanying a friend when he made the find.
The bizarre likeness was noticed by Mark Becher, who was handed the coin to clean as leader of the group of 40 detectorists.
The experienced detector burst into laughter at the sight of the Dreamworks character looking back at him.
He put the remarkable discovery down to "beginner's luck" and said the finder was delighted.
Ron plans to keep hold of the coin which was discovered more than three hours into the session.
He said: "It does really look like the Donkey from Shrek which is quite a funny little factor.
"I had never done any metal detecting in the past and just went out with my mate Mick who does it fairly regularly.
"Nobody else really found anything of any note and it's quite an experienced group.
"Mick was in a state of disbelief when I showed him and said a lot of detectors wait a lifetime for something like that."
Donkey appeared in all four Shrek movies and was was an instant hit with fans.
What was Iron Age Britain like?
Here's what you need to know...
- The Iron Age was a violent period in British history lasting from 800 BC to the Roman invasion of 43 AD.
- It followed the Bronze Age, and marked a time in which ancient Brits began to make tools and weapons out of iron.
- Little is known about the Iron Age, as Brits left no written history of the period.
- We know that iron tools made farming much easier than before and settlements grew in size.
- Brits lived in clans that belonged to tribes led by warrior kings.
- Tribes frequently fought bloody battles using deadly iron weapons.
- People lived in hill forts to protect themselves from attack.
- The remains of several hill forts survive in Britain today, including at Danebury in Hampshire, Maiden Castle in Dorset, Old Oswestry in Shropshire and Traprain Law in Scotland.
The coin which carries his face is thought be worth around £380 - the figure another example sold for in 2015.
Mark, leader of the detecting group, added: "The fact it was found by a first-timer is amazingly lucky and the very definition of beginner's luck.
"He gave it to me and I just burst out laughing when I saw it.
"We had about 40 people out that day and some of the people who didn't have kids had no idea what I was on about.
"When I googled a picture Donkey everybody agreed and thought it was hilarious."
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In other news, the face of an Iron Age druid was recently recreated in wax 2,000 years after she died in Scotland.
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What do you think killed the Danebury victims? Let us know in the comments!
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