2017-04-21 Fri

913 18th-century gold British sovereigns were found hidden in an old piano and have been legally declared as a treasure. The coins were found in Shropshire in December 2016 when the piano's new owners got it re-tuned and repaired. The coins belong to the crown now and are being now offered for sale to museums. The tuner who found the coins will get a reward.

These coins were minted from 1847 to 1915, under Queen Victoria, Edward VII and George V. They have a total face value of 770 pounds and an actual value of almost 500,000 pounds.

The gold coins were stitched into seven cloth-bound packets and a single leather drawstring purse. The original owners are still unknown and the hoard's market value will be decided by an independent Treasure Valuation Committee at the British Museum. After the piano was bought by several people, it was donated to a college in Shropshire to help students learn music.