Henry VIII's love token secured by British Museum after centuries lost [View all]
Source: Reuters
Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon's marriage didn't last - he divorced her in 1533 - but a golden heart pendant linked to their union did survive, and has now been secured for permanent display at the British Museum.
The 24-carat-gold heart, complete with the couple's initials in red, and a picture of the Tudor rose and a pomegranate tree, was acquired by the British Museum after it raised 3.5 million pounds ($4.8 million) to save it from being sold to a private collector.
The pendant -- a symbol of the couple's initially devoted but ultimately doomed marriage -- was lost for hundreds of years.
But in 2019 it was discovered by a metal detectorist in a field in Warwickshire, and under British treasure laws, museums across the country have the chance to acquire significant historical finds before they go for general sale.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/henry-viiis-love-token-secured-by-british-museum-after-centuries-lost-2026-02-10/
More from the BBC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yk3vrgv51o
The pendant unites the Tudor rose with Katherine's pomegranate symbol and features a banner that reads "tousiors", the old French for "always".
After it was found, the pendant was reported under the Treasure Act 1996, which gives museums and galleries in England a chance to acquire historical objects and put them on display.
In order to put the pendant on permanent display, the museum had to pay a reward to the metal detectorist who made the discovery and the owner of the land it was found on.
= new reply since forum marked as read