Luton widow finds secret coins worth thousands in late husband’s shoe boxes

A widow from Luton has found a secret 1,000-strong coin collection hidden across her house, with some dating back centuries.

The collection, which was mostly found in shoe boxes owned by her late husband, includes a William III crown dating back to 1696 – that could sell for over £17,500 at auction.

The woman and her daughter called the auction firm Hanson Ross to assess the collection. Amanda West-Butler, director of operations, could hardly believe her eyes.

She said: “When I went to meet the family I couldn’t believe how many coins they’d uncovered - and more coins keep turning up. It’s a find that keeps on giving.”

The coins had belonged to a Luton businessman who died last year. While his family knew he was an avid collector, they had no idea how many he had secretly tucked away. They unearthed coins in shoe boxes found at the bottom of wardrobes and continue to discover more.

Amanda added: “A collector’s passion can never be underestimated, I suppose.”

Now, his family want to sell the coins to people who will make use of them but have kept some for sentimental reasons. The seller said: “I kept finding more every time I cleared another part of the house. They were in drawers and cupboards or wrapped up among other things.”

She explained: “I had no idea he had so many and, to be honest, I think he’d forgotten about some of them.” The coin collection has been catalogued by Hansons’ coins expert William Hayward and will be available at the coin auction on May 12.