Discovery of golden Bible likely to belong to family of medieval British king

CAIRO – 8 November 2021:  A metal detectorist has discovered a small golden Bible that is believed to belong to a medieval king. The bible is worth hundreds of thousands of sterling pounds.

The discovered gold Bible - Daily Mail

Buffy Bailey, a nurse from Lancaster, was searching farmland near Sheriff Hatton Castle, in North Yorkshire, England, with her husband when a metal detector picked up a strong signal near a footpath.

The article on Daily Mail - Daily Mail

The 48-year-old man dug 5 meters down, expecting to find an ancient ring that could be pulled, but instead discovered a pure gold Bible, which surprised him, according to the British Daily Mail.

The Bible and the metal detector - compiled photo/Daily Mail

The small piece, just 1.5 cm in length, weighing about 5 grams and is either 22 karat or 24 karat gold, dates back to the 15th century and is believed to have belonged to a relative of King Richard III.

The couple holding the gold Bible - Daily Mail

Experts linked it to the "Middleham Jewel," a gold necklace discovered by a metal detector 40 miles away near Middleham Castle, the childhood home of Richard III. It was sold in 1992 for £2.5 million.

Also, experts believe that both pieces may have been engraved by the same blacksmith and gifted to a relative of the king.