Rare 14th-century gold 'leopard' coin could sell for up to $187,000 [View all]

An exceptionally rare gold coin stamped with a leopard sitting upright and wrapped in a banner was unearthed by a metal detectorist in England and is heading to the auction block. The coin was minted in the Tower of London from 23-karat gold during the 14th century. It looks nearly brand-new and is one of just a handful of surviving leopard coins from a failed currency experiment by King Edward III.

The coin was discovered in 2019 in North Norfolk, and only four other such coins are known: Two belong to the British Museum in London, one is housed in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and one is in a private collection, representatives of auction house Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) wrote in a catalog description. The Norfolk leopard coin measures about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter, weighs 0.12 ounces (3.48 grams) and is expected to fetch up to $187,000 when it goes up for auction on March 8, DNW representatives said in a statement.

The Norfolk leopard coin might command a six-figure price now, but
how much could a person buy with one golden leopard in 1344? At the time, a 3-shilling coin was the equivalent of 36 silver pennies, which had the purchasing power of about $2,670 in today's money, Mills said.

"It would have bought you a single sheep together with a gallon of wine, with a few pennies change," Mills said.

https://www.livescience.com/rare-gold-leopard-coin-auction-uk