<p><strong>While making my way back to the car after a hard days detecting on frozen pasture I decided to try a part of the field where I've had some success finding hammered Elizabeth 1st coins.</strong> Deciding to go back there on this day was one of the best decisions I've ever made.</p> <p>Swinging the detector I got a signal, although not very strong I decided to dig, using my spade I took the first clod out and quickly swept over the hole. The signal was still there so I took another spade full of soil out of the hole and swept the detector over the hole, this time no signal. I got my pin-pointer and searched the clod I just taken out. To my surprise I found a small silver hammered coin, a type I had not come across before, so was quite keen to get home so I could clean it and get my coin reference books out for a positive identification.</p> [split] <p>What I discovered was an Extremely Rare Scottish coin Henry Earl of Northumberland Penny in exceptional condition for type. The next step was to report it to the finds liaison officer at my local museum for recording and verification, as a result of that the coin has been designated a find of national importance and only about fifteen known in existence and none of them are in this fine condition.</p> <p>I can say this has been a find of a lifetime and its going to be a hard one to beat. Thank you Minelab for a great user friendly machine without it I don't think I would have never found this exceptional coin at the depth I did.</p>