Medieval Gold Seal Ring Unearthed in Suffolk Fails to Sell at Auction
A medieval gold seal ring found by two metal detectorists in Suffolk has failed to sell at auction, despite expectations that it could attract offers well above its estimate.
The 14th-century gold seal ring of Matilda was offered Tuesday by Noonans Mayfair as part of a sale of jewelry, watches, silver and objects of vertu. It did not meet its reserve bid of £8,500.
The ring was discovered in April 2024 in a plowed field near Stoke Ash by friends Aaron Pizzey, 30, and James Race, 39. The two men said they were disappointed, but plan to try again at a future auction.
Noonans said the piece features a carnelian intaglio engraved with the image of a griffin. Its inscription, “GRIFFVnMATILIELEMATILIOVR,” is believed to offer a clue to its original owner. It may be translated as “griffin Matilda the maternal countess,” which could point to Matilda of Lancaster, who became Countess of Ulster.
In 1347-8, Matilda became a canoness of the Augustinian Campsey Priory, near Wickham Market—about 20 miles from where the ring was found. That connection gives the ring a notable historical provenance, though the auction result suggests such details do not automatically translate into a sale.
The ring had been estimated at £10,000 to £12,000, but Pizzey and Race hoped it would bring between £25,000 and £30,000. Pizzey said the long treasure process had delayed the auction, and he called it a “shame” that the ring did not sell.
He had hoped to use the proceeds to upgrade his metal detector and possibly put money toward a house renovation. Race had planned to use any proceeds for wedding costs and paying off a mortgage.
“It’s a bit of a niche item because the band is broken,” Pizzey told BBC Radio Suffolk’s Wayne Bavin. “We decided to leave it as found so that the person who bought it can make their mind up if they want to leave it as is or have it repaired professionally to be worn again.”
Race noted that another auction is expected in about two months. He said Noonans had done a good job with the ring and with a previous lot: a medieval gold Stuart ring with a sapphire gem that also failed to sell the first time.
“My first ring that I went and put through Noonans, they did a very good job on that ring and for this lot,” he said. “With my previous one a medieval gold Stuart ring with a sapphire gem, that didn’t go the first time either, so it’s not uncommon because it’s happened twice now.”
The no-sale highlights a familiar tension in the antiquities market: historical significance can draw attention, but condition, wearability and buyer demand often determine whether an object clears its reserve. A broken band can narrow the pool of potential buyers, even for a medieval ring with aristocratic links.
The pair also found a hoard of 60 gold Roman coins in February in Eye. Those coins are likewise going through the treasure process before the men hope to auction them.
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Related: Detectorists strike gold despite faulty headset; British Museum; Noonans.