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Coroner's court 'treasure trove inquest' finds 300-year-old ring to be genuine

It turns out the coroner’s court has duties that extend beyond dealing with corpses.

A MAN FROM Antrim has had a gold ring he discovered in a field near his home verified as ‘treasure’.

Thomas Ross, from Jordanstown Heights in Newtonnabbey, this week had the authenticity of the ring confirmed by the Belfast Coroner’s Court (no, that isn’t a mistake).  Under British law, findings of potential treasure must be reported to the local coroner.

The coroner’s court, surprisingly, has special duties in relation to both ancient trinkets and cadavers.

Under the Treasure Act of 1996 and the Coroners Act of 1959 it was found that the ring was indeed a genuine artifact.

In her statement Coroner Suzanne Anderson described her duties as being to decide “whether or not the find is treasure”. After consideration it was decided that it indeed was.  

gold ring Belfast Coroner's office Belfast Coroner's office

The artifact was found near the Grange of Ballywater, near Newtownabbey in Co Antrim. The ring is thought to be a lady’s ‘Posy ring’ dated from around 1680 to 1700 with a gold content of around 85%.

The inside of the ring bears an inscription in Old English of “I noght on gift bot gifer”. This roughly translates to “Look not on the gift but the giver”.

Speaking in The Irish News earlier this week, curator in Applied Arts for National Museums Ireland Elise Taylor, described how the ring may possibly have belonged to woman walking to a church or adjoining cemetery, and how it may have fallen off in the cold weather.

The ring has now been taken to the British Museum for evaluation.

Read: “Buried treasure” from Ancient Roman times found under department store

Also: Rare treasures displayed for first time at Dublin’s Chester Beatty Library

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    Mute James Hughes
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:15 PM

    Another clear indication that the economy is improving and possibly at a faster pace than some believe
    Hard to believe that Sin Fein still believe the economy is doomed and there are zero signs of a recovery.
    It’s absolutely key now that developers get the credit needed to add to the supply side and therefore avoid over heating of the market. Govt have a job here in my view

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    Mute Business Cat
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:22 PM

    Economic recovery is bad news for SF.
    They will run the country down at every opportunity.

    Can you imagine their horror in 2016, budget back in surplus & economy growing again.

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    Mute Richie Aprile
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:48 PM

    It’s another property bubble.

    It’s absolutely crazy in the residential market. I signed a 12 month lease on a 1 bed flat in the city centre last week but it took me a few weeks to find it.

    They (landlords and letting agents) are actually having viewing nights, where 10 or more people view the kips at once.

    My rabbit hutch was €300 cheaper 12 months ago.. its a sign paddy greed is setting in yet again and we know what happened last time.

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    Mute Business Cat
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:12 PM

    a rebound is inevitable, but there are still a lot of vacant buildings about.

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    Mute Business Cat
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 10:56 PM

    So, the “to let” signs are fake then?

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    Mute J R Wolf
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:32 PM

    Dublin is too overcrowded and concentrated, there should be greater incentives for companies set up base outside of Dublin

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    Mute Jeremy Usborne
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 5:36 PM

    Dublin is not in the slightest bit overcrowded.

    There are thousands of acres of derelict brown & green field sites within the M50.

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    Mute Declan Beach
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 7:57 PM

    Amazing how our economy is doing so well according to the government, estate agents and landlords yet the ECB warned our politicians our economy is not doing well at all.
    We have one of the biggest debts of any country in the world. sinn feinn are not being negative about the economy there being realistic. We cant afford another little building bubble. It would break ireland totally. And the sooner most people in this country realise that the better.

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    Mute Luca E Stefi
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    Jun 23rd 2014, 11:19 PM

    i wonder where will families go when renting a 2 beds will cost 1600 per month ( give it another 6 months)

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