TWO treasure seekers have unearthed jewelry that could be the oldest Iron Age gold ever discovered in Britain. The collection, which has been named the Leekfrith Iron Age Torcs, was found in December on farmland within the parish of Leekfrith, in the Staffordshire Moorlands. The four torcs — three necklaces and one bracelet — were found separately about 1 meter apart and buried just beneath the surface, by Mark Hambleton and Joe Kania. Their find is not far from the biggest gold hoard ever found in the U.K. — worth £3.285 million (US$4.09 million). At a treasure trove inquest Tuesday, senior coroner Ian Smith joked the haul is likely to be “worth a bob or two.” A formal valuation will now take place but a fund-raising campaign is expected to be launched within weeks aimed at securing the jeweler for permanent public display. An older Bronze Age torc, found in Northern Ireland, was valued at £150,000. The men are now planning to split the find 50/50 with landowner Stuart Heath. Experts believe the Iron Age torcs were made in the third or fourth century B.C., making them approximately 2,500 years old. They were probably made in Europe, possibly Germany or France. It is not known why the items were buried, but it could have been for safekeeping, as an offering to the gods, or as an act of remembrance after their owner died. Two of the pieces — a collar and a bracelet — are made of twisted gold wire. Two have trumpet shaped finials and the bracelet also feature stunning Celtic decorations. The decoration on the bracelet is thought to be some of the earliest Celtic art from Britain. Dr. Julia Farley, curator of British & European Iron Age collections for the British Museum, said, “This unique find is of international importance. It dates to around 400-250 B.C., and is probably the earliest Iron Age gold work ever discovered in Britain. The finds, which are estimated to be around 18-carat gold, were spotted by lifelong friends Hambleton and Kania. (SD-Agencies) | 