A treasure hunter from Bovingdon has said he “loves” to give his finds to his Facebook fans.

After metal detecting for nearly six years, Stephen Eldridge told the Watford Observer he has collected so many coins and objects that he chooses to give some of his discoveries away.

He said: “I love giving some of my finds away. I am lucky that I can go out and detect, some of my Facebook followers can't, so that's why I like to give them away.

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“It means they can hold them and think about who last held the item before being lost.”

Mr Eldridge, aged 67, gifted his most recent find, an 1845 Queen Victorian sixpence, to his hairdresser.

Watford Observer: 1845 Queen Victorian sixpence. Picture: Stephen Eldridge1845 Queen Victorian sixpence. Picture: Stephen Eldridge

He said: “It is very nice to find a coin like that. It is all about history.

“You wonder who dropped the coin. I thought, it could be a farm worker working across the field and perhaps it was part of their wages.”

Another recipient in the Facebook Bovingdon group received a 17th Century silver spoon from the father of two.  

Over the years, Mr Eldridge, who is now retired but previously looked after adults with learning difficulties and drove a minibus 20 years, has found numerous Roman and Celtic items.

Watford Observer: Celtic gold coins. Picture: Stephen Eldridge Celtic gold coins. Picture: Stephen Eldridge

But his most interesting find was rare Celtic gold coins that are nearly 2,500 years old. These are currently with the British Museum.  

Any locations where Mr Eldridge metal detects must be kept top secret to stop people without landowner permission looking for gold.  

Finder fees are always shared 50/50 between Mr Eldridge and the landowners and if more than two coins are found, it must be reported to the finder’s liaison officers.

Watford Observer: A Victorian artefact commemorating Queen Victoria's reign. Picture: Stephen EldridgeA Victorian artefact commemorating Queen Victoria's reign. Picture: Stephen Eldridge

He added: “When I go detecting, I am not worried about finding a fortune. I enjoy the history that you find and trying to find out who lost it and what kind of person they would have been.

“I enjoy wandering around the countryside on my own, taking in the peace and quiet, also seeing the wildlife, deer, foxes, hare and other animals – you can't beat it.”

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