On his first tryst with a metal detector, a toddler’s curiosity led him to a find that would rewrite his family’s fortune and place him in the annals of extraordinary discoveries.
Imagine being three years old and, on your very first adventure with a metal detector, you stumble upon a buried treasure worth a staggering $4 million. That’s the story of James Hyatt, a toddler with a luck that defies all odds.
Every child dreams of unearthing hidden treasures, and for little James, this dream became a reality during a casual afternoon outing with his father, who introduced him to the fascinating world of metal detecting. James’ grandfather, despite his 15 years of treasure-hunting experience, had never encountered anything of this magnitude.
Jason Hyatt, James’ father, was stunned by the unexpected turn of events. “Within five minutes, James’ detector was buzzing,” he said. “We spotted a glinting object eight inches below the surface and gently retrieved it. Dad was astonished. He’d never discovered anything like this in his 15-year pursuit of the hobby. While James was thrilled to find a ‘treasure,’ he’s too young to fully comprehend its true importance.”
In a charming retelling of the event, James shared how the metal detector went “beep beep beep,” leading his father to dig about 6 to 8 inches into the ground. There, to their surprise, they struck literal gold. “Then we dug into the mud and found gold. We didn’t have a treasure map—only pirates have those,” James explained to reporters with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
As per The Guardian, the Hyatts had discovered a gold reliquary dating back 500 years, exquisitely engraved with the names of the Magi and images of Christ and Saint Helena. Originally, this pendant would have showcased a vibrant palette of enamel work and possibly held a relic of the cross. It likely belonged to a wealthy, devout individual before it was lost and remained buried in the field for centuries.
The ancient locket was firmly sealed when discovered. However, after careful conservation work at the British Museum by Marilyn Hockey, it opened to reveal nothing but remnants of flax, possibly cultivated locally. The coroner’s inquest declared the find a treasure, earning it a place of honor in the British Museum’s medieval gallery.
CBS reports the pendant’s estimated value at $4 million, but the Hyatt family received a comparatively modest sum of £70,000. This amount, granted by the Art Fund charity and the Friends of the Museum, was to be divided between the Hyatts and the landowner.
Given the religious iconography on the pendant, it’s believed that it was originally intended to house a piece of the True Cross, discovered by Saint Helena during her journey to the Holy Land from 326 to 328 A.D.
The pendant, barely over an inch in dimension, features intricate engravings likely filled with enamel during its creation, a style popular in late medieval jewelry. This precious piece, symbolizing devout Christian faith, would have been affordable only to the extremely affluent.
The legend of Saint Helena is widely recognized by archaeologists and historians. While James’ discovery didn’t contain a piece of the True Cross, the pendant was crafted for a noblewoman to hold such a relic. In 327 AD, Helena’s son, Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, commanded the construction of a basilica on the site of Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher.
Historians note that Helena led an excavation at the site, leading to the recovery of three crosses. One of these, after miraculously healing a sick woman, was recognized as the cross of Jesus Christ. Thus, for the Hyatt family to unearth this pendant—designed to hold a relic of such significance and being one of only four known—is a truly extraordinary discovery.
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Sources: Taphaps, TheGuardian, CBS