Article by Jessica Salter
Last Updated: 12:19PM BST 21 Aug 2008
John Stevens, 42, from Hinckley saw that the ring had lettering when he brushed the mud off that indicated it was from the early medieval period, possibly the 11th century.
The ring has not yet been valued but is thought it could be worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Antiquities specialist Brett Hammond said: "It was clearly an important item of treasure. It is a gold ring possibly containing a rare black diamond.
"It is a beautiful early medieval inscribed finger ring that would have been owned by a very wealthy person, in the Church or possible even royalty.
"Common people in that era were not even allowed to own gold, so it must have been owned by a powerful person."
Black diamonds are rare today and would have been even rarer nearly 1,000 years ago, having come from Africa.
Mr Stevens said he was with friends in a ploughed field when he came across the ring about five inches down.
He said: "It is boldly inscribed with lettering that certainly looks very early medieval to my untrained eye.
"I don't know yet what the letters spell out, but if they indicate a royal owner it might be worth tens of thousand of pounds."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Treasure hunter finds medieval diamond ring
Article by Jessica Salter
Last Updated: 12:19PM BST 21 Aug 2008
John Stevens, 42, from Hinckley saw that the ring had lettering when he brushed the mud off that indicated it was from the early medieval period, possibly the 11th century.
The ring has not yet been valued but is thought it could be worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Antiquities specialist Brett Hammond said: "It was clearly an important item of treasure. It is a gold ring possibly containing a rare black diamond.
"It is a beautiful early medieval inscribed finger ring that would have been owned by a very wealthy person, in the Church or possible even royalty.
"Common people in that era were not even allowed to own gold, so it must have been owned by a powerful person."
Black diamonds are rare today and would have been even rarer nearly 1,000 years ago, having come from Africa.
Mr Stevens said he was with friends in a ploughed field when he came across the ring about five inches down.
He said: "It is boldly inscribed with lettering that certainly looks very early medieval to my untrained eye.
"I don't know yet what the letters spell out, but if they indicate a royal owner it might be worth tens of thousand of pounds."
I find it sold now at Christies auction house for 1.3 million dollars. I have a 10ct black diamnod dice that is perfect from Ebay for 700.00 and a medievil ring with the same shape stones (5) and they are purplish pink in color also from Ebay for 300.00. I'm going to Christie's myself in the very near future.
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