Awesome - Man Metal Detecting Discovers Rusty 'Spoon,' Then Looks A Little Closer And Chokes Up
One stranger's trash is another's treasure — is it a cliché? Sure, but sometimes it turns out to be true. Over in Scotland, a man with a metal detector heard a loud series of beeps, and after getting his hands dirty, he found the source — pieces of English history. But later on, the hunter wondered if it was worth all the trouble.
Search Party
Metal detectors in hand, Derek McLennan and his friend Reverend David Bartholomew went out onto the grounds of the Church of Scotland. It appeared it was going to be a day like another other. McLennan had already searched the area for a year in vain. He wondered if his biggest triumph was already behind him.
Lucky Finders
Previously, McLennan had discovered an underground stockpile of medieval coins. Remarkably, he was just a few years into his metal detecting career. McLennan had made quite the legacy for himself, but what about now?
Treasure Hunter Duo
One day back in September 2014, McLennan went along the grounds again. With his friend, and armed with his metal detector, McLennan once again searched the surrounding area. Then the device whizzed awake.
Underneath
The initial discovery was already a rarity. Buried under two feet of dirt, McLennan had picked up something that his device never managed to locate before. Excited, the treasure hunter began to dig. He hoped it was something more than some tin cans left by a litterbug.
Dust Off
Clearly, the find was much older. The hunters uncovered a silver arm ring first. Then there was a gold ingot, beads, and decorated cup with possible Byzantine origins. Finally the rusted spoon was taken out. It seemed like the least valuable item of the bunch — at first.
Based on the age of the objects and their proximity to the church, it appeared that the cache was the product of a Viking raid. The marauders frequently targeted religious sites for their precious metals and gemstones. These treasures must have been hidden away or left behind.
Expert Opinions
Following a bit of cleanup, McLennan and Bartholomew contacted the authorities. This wasn't a purely altruistic move either. All of the artifacts were housed in the National Museums of Scotland, which promised a very lucrative payday to the finders.
The Galloway Hoard
Reporters dubbed the find the "Galloway Hoard." Close to 100 items were discovered — not bad for a painstakingly long search of the grounds. Once the relics were given over to experts, they were carefully studied and catalogued. That was when experts discovered that the spoon was something else entirely.
Silver Lining
Using a specialized instrument, the rusted spoon was revealed to be a religious artifact. More specifically, it was a 10th century Anglo Saxon silver cross. It glimmered in its natural beauty, and historians eagerly analyzed the symbols etched across its surface.
Presentation Matters
The cross was to be worn, likely by a high-powered individual. Seen along its surfaces were the Gospel authors of the New Testament, symbolized by earthly figures. There was a man for Matthew, a lion for Mark, a cow for Luke, and an eagle for John. Thrilling as the discovery was, it also came with some questions.
Twist in the Mix
Namely, who was going to be paid for the find and how much? Originally, the plan was, should McLennan have discovered anything, a $3 million dollar prize would be split up. That meant McLennan would take a share, and so would the Church of Scotland.
Rules of Reward
An unwritten rule among the metal detector community is been that if any valuables is found, the cash reward is shared with the landowners. Yet, an actual law of Scotland states something completely different: that these treasures are finder's keepers.
Personal Collection
The money issue of the Galloway Hoard got more complicated from there. Reverend Bartholomew shifted his loyalties as the Church of Scotland realized his friend was going to take the reward for himself, as he legally could. Granted, McLennan's intentions were pure.
Other Adventures
McLennan and his girlfriend, Sharon, went forward and created an organization that helped veterans. Called Beyond the Beep, its purpose was to aid in the mental health of the veterans who had recently returned from tours of duty. While it was a noble cause, this charity did not keep McLennan free from controversy.
Financial Disagreement
The landowners where McLennan had discovered the hoard, on the other hand, planned to use their share for the local parish. The two parties reached an agreement about splitting the profits...until it disappeared. McLennan soon disappeared from negotiations, and seemingly from the face of the Earth.
Out of Touch
The issue escalated to the point where the Church of Scotland directly reached out to Bartholomew. McLennan's friend did his best in the meantime. Emails were sent and phone calls were made. But Bartholomew couldn't reach him. He soon learned his treasure-hunting companion might have had another goal in mind.
Game Changer
Not long after McLennan had struck luck with his find, he and his partner Shanon were involved in a terrible car accident. Bartholomew believed the costs of recovery might have played into McLennan going back on his word.
Escalation
Bartholomew tried to visit McLennan with no luck. All communications by McLennan had been halted. Left with no other choice, the Church of Scotland resorted to the next stage in attaining their share of the reward.
Court Case
The matter became a legal one in 2019, with the Church of Scotland hoping to seek a financial payday with the help of a court ruling. If McLennan found out he was being sued, however, he was keeping hush on it.
Bygones or Not
The friendship between Rev. Bartholomew and McLennan appeared to have fallen apart, if not ended altogether. Perhaps a repair is in the future for them. Then again, the odds might be against that happy ending depending on the judge's ruling.
Museum Stop
As for the Galloway Hoard, the National Museums of Scotland made plans to settle the discoveries in a special exhibit. The silver lining of the find was that experts could uncover a new chapter in British history, though it didn't necessarily end well for the men who discovered it. In fact, McLennan could now be facing serious legal ramifications.
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