Recently I was given permission to detect in a back garden near West Grimstead. It’s always a great feeling to explore a new patch of ground; you never know what stories might be lying just a few inches under the soil, what forgotten moments have been left behind.
Some finds aren’t about grand historical events; they’re about the quiet, enduring rhythm of daily life. That’s exactly the feeling I got when I unearthed this beautiful shilling right near an old clothesline. To think, people have hung their laundry between those very same two trees for nearly a century. To me, that is a sign of true permanence.
This is a silver shilling of George V, dated 1936—the final year of his reign. It weighs 5.65g and measures 23.5mm in diameter. Unlike many coins found in high-traffic areas, this one has been protected by the garden turf, retaining much of its original detail and a soft, silver-grey patina.
I can just picture the scene: busy with her chores, her mind on a dozen other things, a resident of nearly a century ago reaches up to peg a heavy sheet, and out slips King George, landing silently in the grass. It would have been a noticeable loss back then, almost like leaving a fiver in your wash today. And there he lay for a remarkable 81 years, undisturbed through countless washes, sun-drenched drying days, and changing seasons, just waiting for someone to come along.
This find truly humbles me, making me feel part of a long, unbroken chain of everyday moments. The landowner was as surprised as I was and showed it to his children, who had never seen a coin with a king on it. He heartily encouraged me to check all around that clothesline! After all, if one coin could be left in the wash and hung out to dry, who’s to say it couldn’t happen again? I know it happens to me at least once a week!
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