A metal detectorist has found a tiny gold Bible which is thought to have belonged to medieval royalty and is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Buffy Bailey, an NHS nurse from Lancaster, was searching farmland near York with husband Ian when her detector picked up a strong signal close to a footpath.
The 48-year-old dug five inches down expecting to find little more than a sheep's ear tag or an old can pull-ring.
Instead she discovered a solid gold Bible which has left scholars stunned.
Buffy Bailey was searching farmland near York with husband Ian when her detector picked up a strong signal close to a footpath
The NHS nurse found a tiny gold Bible which is thought to have belonged to medieval royalty
The small object, that is just 1.5cm long, weighs around 5g and is either 22-carat or 24-carat gold, dates back to the 15th century and is believed to have belonged to a relative of King Richard III.
Experts have likened and connected it to the 'Middleham Jewel,' a gold pendant that was discovered by a metal detectorist 40 miles away near to Middleham Castle, the childhood home of Richard III.
It sold in 1992 for £2.5million.
Experts believe both items may have been engraved by the same blacksmith and gifted to the same owner - a female relative of the King who was about to give birth.
Much like the Middleham Jewel, it has engravings of medieval patron saints of childbirth, including St Margaret of Antioch.
The gold book is understood to have been found near Sheriff Hutton Castle in North Yorkshire, another property that belonged to Richard III who often resided there.
Mrs Bailey said: 'Me and my husband go all around the country metal detecting. We decided to visit York because we knew it had a lot of history.
'We arrived at the farm and the landowner asked if we wanted to go out straight away - we said yes please.
'Metal detecting is not a very sociable hobby and people will often try to start conversation by saying things like, 'oh have you found anything good?'
The gold book is understood to have been found near Sheriff Hutton Castle in North Yorkshire
The object, that is just 1.5cm long, weighs around 5g and is believed to have belonged to a relative of King Richard III
Much like the Middleham Jewel, it has engravings of medieval patron saints of childbirth, including St Margaret of Antioch
'I just wanted to focus on detecting so I turned my back to the footpath so walkers wouldn't talk to me and just as I did I got a signal in that exact spot.
'I dug down five inches and it was just there - I still didn't believe it was anything special. I just thought it'd be an old sheep's ear tag or a pull ring.
