ST. JOHN’S, N.L. –
A gold coin discovered on Newfoundland’s south coast will be the oldest recognized English coin ever discovered in Canada.
Provincial archeologist Jamie Brake says the coin was minted in London between the years 1422 and 1427 — no less than 70 years earlier than the primary documented European contact with North America.
Brake says the coin would have been price a major sum again then, although he says it is unlikely it was in circulation.
He says the story of how and why the coin got here to be in Newfoundland is a thriller that he and his workforce will work to unravel.
Brake says the coin was discovered this previous summer time by Edward Hynes, a neighborhood man with a ardour for Newfoundland historical past.
He says the precise location of the invention is being saved underneath wraps in order to not appeal to treasure seekers to the world.
“It’s surprisingly old,” Brake stated of the coin. “So, it is fairly thrilling.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 9, 2022.