Toddler Finds Ancient And Unique Treasure In A Surprising Discovery

As children, we all were on the hunt for buried treasure. Finding a coin in the grass was nothing short of miraculous and something to run home with glee about. A small boy named James made the discovery of a lifetime when he was out and about one day, and it would change him and his family’s life forever.

Jason Hyatt had been a metal detecting hobbyist for 15 years before finally deciding to take his three-year-old out for the day to hunt for treasure. Like any parent who wants to share their hobby with their children, Jason was excited to show him the ropes. 

Little James was only three years old when he grabbed a hold of the metal detector for the very first time. Imagine the surprise of grandfather, father, and son when the metal detector started to go off.

James had only been handling the metal detector for around five minutes, according to his grandfather. Metal detectors can detect about 12-18 inches in the ground, so the three generations of men began to dig in the ground and uncover what James had found.

When they reached down the eight inches where the ancient treasure lay, they found a gold and glinting object that they immediately pulled out from the ground. What they found was an old looking locket.

The pendant was about an inch long, and they came to find, was 73% gold. For reference, 18 carat gold is 75%, so it is suffice to say that the Hyatt boys had certainly stumbled on a real treasure.

Engraved on the locket were the five wounds of Christ and the Virgin Mary, or Saint Helena. According to an expert at the British Museum, this was a hallmark of the time and of medieval piety.

The Medieval locket that little James had uncovered was produced in the 16th century. The Medieval piety of the time was a form or belief that placed an extra emphasis on a person’s good deeds.

Some experts believe that the mystical treasure could have been from Henry VIII’s era and definitely from someone very rich. More specifically, they believe the original owner was a member of the royal family.

During Medieval times, gold was seen as an incredibly prestigious metal. The Middle Ages mainly used gold for prestigious gifts, bribes, or to buy expensive goods.

According to his dad, Jason, James has already proved himself to be a luck magnet. “My son is one of the luckiest people ever. If we go to the doctor he’ll put his hand down the side of the sofa and pull out a tenner.”

Do you believe that this story is the perfect example of beginner’s luck? You know, what we call it when you experience unexpected success at an activity you’re new at? If yes, people who believe that there’s no such thing as beginner’s luck attribute this to “confirmation bias,” the tendency to interpret events in a way that supports your former beliefs.

Any treasure found in the U.K. must be investigated by a treasure-trove inquest. Once the inquest is completed then any proceeds from the sale of the Medieval relic will be split between the Hyatt family, as well as the owner of the field it was found in.

While some experts claim that the treasure is worth £2.5 million (equivalent to about $3.2 million), others say it should cost about 4 million. 

In what is perhaps the most disappointing part of this story, we weren’t thrilled to discover that the Hyatt family got only £70,000 as their reward for making the rare finding. That’s a little shy of $90,000. 

Whether a beginner’s luck is a fluke or not, one thing we know is that this story is proof that anyone’s life can turn around for the better suddenly, with just one lucky find. That’s all the motivation you should need to keep pushing at whatever you find yourself doing.