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22.02.2021

Hackney Hoard

The discovery of 80 U.S. $20 gold coins, known as Double Eagles, in a back garden in Hackney, Greater London, in 2007 was a remarkable find. These coins were arranged by date, spanning from 1854 to 1913, and were already valuable at the time of minting. The group of landscapers who stumbled upon the coins realized their significance and contacted a local representative of the Portable Antiquities Program (PAS), Kate Sumnall.

Kate Sumnall, in her role as a Finds Liaison Officer (FLO), is accustomed to dealing with various archaeological finds reported to her. While finds from the 20th century can provide insights into the past owners or their contexts, they rarely qualify as "treasure" in the legal sense under the Treasure Act of 1996.

Under the old Treasure Act, objects primarily composed of gold or silver that had no traceable owner and appeared to have been buried with the intention of future recovery were classified as treasure and became the property of the crown. These items could then be purchased by museums at a price determined by a British Museum expert, with the full amount payable to the discoverer.

In the case of the Hackney Double Eagles, it seemed likely that this collection, discovered buried in the ground, was indeed a hoard its keeper had intended to return for.

Discoveries of hoards containing nineteenth- and twentieth-century coins are not uncommon in Great Britain. For example, in 1996, a hoard of silver three-pence coins from 1943 was found in Hertfordshire and registered as a treasure trove. Such finds are often made in urban areas. An earlier discovery in 1927 involved a hoard of gold sovereigns found in the backyard of a London estate, specifically from Essex Road in Islington. However, what made the Hackney hoard particularly unusual was the combination of its relatively recent date, the historical value of the coins, and the fact that they all originated from a particular foreign country, the United States.

Hackney Hoard

The history and origin of the Hackney Hoard, including the circumstances surrounding its burial and non-retrieval by its depositor, remain speculative. Buried treasures like this often raise intriguing questions about the motivations of their owners and the reasons behind their abandonment.

In the case of the Hackney Double Eagles, it's plausible that the hoard was intentionally buried, possibly as a form of savings or protection during uncertain times. The fact that it was not retrieved suggests that something may have happened to the owner, such as a change in circumstances, relocation, or simply a lapse in memory regarding the precise location of the coins. The exact history behind the hoard may never be fully known unless new evidence comes to light.

The early 20th century was a period of significant social change in London, and Hackney, like other parts of the city, experienced demographic shifts and fluctuations in property ownership. Research by institutions like the London Museum, the British Museum, and the Coroner's Office can provide valuable context and information about the property and individuals associated with it, but many details of the hoard's history may remain elusive.

The presence of the 1913 Double Eagle coin is indeed significant, as it marks the proximity of the hoard's burial to the outbreak of World War I and the subsequent departure from the gold standard in Britain. This context adds an extra layer of historical intrigue to the hoard's discovery, highlighting the economic and geopolitical changes of the era.

Hackney Hoard

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