John Avison: treasure trove truths

Oct 8 2009 by John Avison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

WAS my story of missed treasure trove a couple of weeks back a complete fantasy? Martin Hirst of Honley thinks not.

He has unearthed (pardon the pun) details of a find of 1,000 coins ‘in a wood near Wyke, Bradford’.

Unfortunately, the details of my story are conspicuously at variance with what we must assume is the truth about this discovery.

Firstly, it was made by a man with a metal detector, not a man with a dog.

Secondly, it was a hoard of Civil War coins, not Roman ones.

Thirdly, it was in June, 1982, not October, 1987.

Fourthly, the hoard was not revealed when a storm knocked over a tree.

Fifthly, and most significantly, it was not worth a million quid.

Nevertheless, I’m consoled by journalism’s basic tenet: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Pretty much the only truth in this sorry tale is that Martin will not be collecting a handsome reward for backing me up.