Cornwall widow finds £113,000 gold coin stash in old biscuit tin

A widow in Cornwall, England, discovered a hidden treasure worth more than £113,000 inside an old biscuit tin while clearing out a workshop near her home. The collection, which had been kept secret for approximately 50 years, was originally assembled by her late husband as an investment during the economic recession of the mid-1970s.

Auctioneer David Lay of Lay's Auctioneers in Penzance discovered the stash while assisting the woman with downsizing her belongings. The tin initially appeared to contain silver coins, but deeper inspection revealed 41 South African Krugerrands and 21 British gold sovereigns hidden in their original packaging alongside purchase documents.

The gold coins were sold at auction, with the Krugerrands fetching approximately £100,000 and the British sovereigns raising £13,000. Records indicate the husband had purchased the coins in 1975 for between £70 and £80 each, likely as a hedge against high inflation and stock market instability.