A Family Found 17th-Century Gold Coins Under Their Kitchen Floorboards—and the Collection Just Sold for $75,000

Planning a home renovation can be a massive undertaking, but you might just strike gold in the process. At least that was the reality for a couple living in Dorset, England who found a trove of 17th-century gold and silver coins while renovating their kitchen.

The family's discovery was recently sold by Duke’s Auctioneers for $75,000—nearly doubling the initial sale estimate of $37,674. The auction house sold the coins piecemeal, rather than as a collection, with one coin fetching $6,250 alone, Smithsonian Magazine reports.

Betty and Robert Fooks found the coins when removing their kitchen’s concrete floors to make more ceiling height for their cottage. While he was breaking up the concrete, Robert stumbled upon a smashed glazed pottery bowl filled with more than a thousand 400-year-old coins.

After uncovering the rare coins, the Fooks contacted a local finds liaison officer, who notified the British Museum. The collection, which has been named the Poorton Coin Hoard, was then sent to experts at the museum who cleaned and identified the coins.

It's believed by experts that the coins, which range from sixpences to half crowns to gold unite coins, were hidden during the First English Civil War, which took place from 1642 to 1646. Each coin features the face of different British monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Mary, and King Charles I.