300-year-old Gold Ring Found By Detectorist Declared Treasure.
The skull-engraved 300-year-old ring which was found by a detectorist in the Alberbury area back in 2020, has been declared treasure at Shrewsbury Coroners Court.
Shropshire Museums service had requested the inquest in accordance with The Treasure Act 1996.
Finds liaison officer Teresa Gilmore said the ring was “Memento mori” style, which encouraged the wearer to remember the one who bequeathed it to them.
Memento mori is Latin and translates to “remember you must die”.
The inside of the ring bears the inscription “deus illuminatiio mea” which translates to “God is my light”.
Also engraved is “L.S” which Ms Gilmore said was assumed to be the initials of the individual for whom the ring was to be remembered.
“This style of ring was very popular during the late 17th Century into the early 18th Century, so it is reasonable to assume that this finger ring is of a similar date,” she added.
A reward yet to be decided will be split between the metal detectorist and the landowner. The metal detectorist was granted use of the field by the owner and discovered the treasure on 13 December 2020.
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