After what felt like weeks of being stuck indoors, it was a pure delight to get back out onto the fields. The air was fresh, the ground was workable, and the anticipation was high. My very first signal was a crisp, clear, high-conductive tone. Digging down, the soil gave up its secret instantly, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight: a beautiful George VI sixpence. First hole, first target—F.H.S.! First Hole Silver!
A short while later, the detector sounded off with another fantastic, repeatable response. My heart was hoping for something medieval, but my brain was whispering, “Don’t get your hopes up just yet.”
What came out of the clod was a George VI two-shilling piece, or ‘florin’. While not an ancient piece of local heritage, and struck in cupro-nickel rather than pre-1947 silver, it emerged from the earth remarkably bright and clean. Most importantly, it wasn’t the ubiquitous aluminum pull-tab or piece of modern farm iron! It’s these small, satisfying victories that keep you sweeping.
The Coinage of George VI
The florin—worth two shillings or one-tenth of a pound—has a long tradition in British currency, first introduced during the Victorian era as an early attempt at decimalization.
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The Obverse: Displays the left-facing bare head portrait of King George VI, surrounded by the Latin royal title.
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The Reverse: Features the crowned royal cipher flanked by the thistles, shamrocks, and leeks of the home nations, declaring its value as Two Shillings.
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The Metal: Following the Second World War, the silver content of British circulating coinage was reduced from 50% down to cupro-nickel in 1947 to help repay war debts—placing this particular issue right in the post-war transition period of mid-century Britain.
Reflections from the Field
While other detectorists might dream exclusively of Gold Staters or Roman hoards, recovering two pristine mid-century coins in a single session—starting with silver on the very first hole—made my return to the Wiltshire fields feel truly special. It was a wonderful reminder that every layer of the earth holds a story, and the joy of discovery isn’t always measured in centuries, but in the thrill of the signal.
