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A LANDSCAPE gardener is hoping a museum will "treasure" a Roman ring he found. Keen historian and metal detectorist John Hughes was scouring a field in West Wickham when he came across the unusual piece of jewellery.Realising it could have been made in Roman times, he reported it and British Museum experts identified it as a finger ring dating back nearly 1,800 years.A member of two clubs for metal detectors for six years, Mr Hughes, 55, said: "This is the best find I have ever had."Like most people, I've had an interest in treasure for years and I'm very interested in history."A treasure trove inquest at Croydon Coroner's Court ruled Bromley Museum could take possession of the ring, valued at £180. Mr Hughes, of Croydon, will be rewarded for his find.As well as investigating deaths, coroners hold inquests into uncovered precious metals to decide whether they should be the property of the Crown.It is now on display at the museum in Church Hill, Orpington.Bromley Museum's new curator, Adrian Green, said: "Only rarely do museums acquire objects from metal detectorists and when we do it is because they are unusual or outstanding examples such as this one."Their hobby contributes to our understanding of the past."
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