Remember the story with the helmet in the comedy «Gentlemen of Fortune»? So, this time there will be no crime! An ordinary English amateur archaeologist, using a detector, discovered a completely unusual object in an ordinary meadow — Roman cavalry helmet of the 1st-3rd centuries AD! And what is no less amazing, I was able to legally sell it at auction, you won’t believe it — for as much as 2,300,000 pounds (about 3.6 million US dollars). And it happened not so long ago, in 2010.
The helmet was found in May 2010 near the small village of Crosby Garrett in the north of England, in the county of Cumbria. It was not by chance that our English colleague ended up in this place with his device. There was a Roman military road here, which had the most strategic importance in those ancient times.
The find originally consisted of 67 copper alloy fragments with subtle traces of a white metal plating. It turns out that it used to shine like silver. A bag with all this «wealth» was handed over to the restorers of the Christie auction house, who returned the helmet to its original appearance. A loophole in English law made it possible not to recognize the helmet as a treasure, although it was most likely buried until better times by a Roman cavalryman. Whatever one may say, it was a treasure!
And finally, on October 7, 2010, the helmet was bought at Christie’s for an insane £2,300,000 by an unknown moneybag who used his phone to bid. One can only guess who it was. British museums found themselves, as they say, «out of their depth», unable to interrupt such «space» bid.
And now, gentlemen, you are invited to admire the photographs of the helmet against the background of the lovely lady from Christie’s auction house and look for your treasure…
This is part of the helmet fragments transferred for restoration. Friends, be careful with antiques made from earth! Who knows, maybe you will have the chance to find a worthy thing in pieces.
Write if you know of other cases of finds of Roman helmets, it’s always interesting to read such things!
Good luck this season!
I collect more finds here, and all information on the treasures can be found here.
