£50,000 reward in coin theft hunt
Arizona Coin Collector
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/7705730.stm
Page last updated at 09:58 GMT,
Monday, 3 November 2008
£50,000 reward in coin theft hunt
A £50,000 reward has been offered for the return of
a "unique" collection of Scots coins stolen last year.
They were taken from the home of Lord and Lady
Stewartby at Broughton in the Borders and are worth
about £500,000.
The items have been described as the most important
collection of early Scottish coins ever assembled
with some dating back nearly 900 years.
A reward has now been offered for any information
which leads to the return of the coins to their
rightful owner.
The theft took place overnight between 6 and
7 June 2007.
The collection had been amassed by Lord Stewartby
over a period of some 50 years.
Nick Holmes, senior curator of numismatics at the
National Museum of Scotland, said the coins were
of huge importance.
"This collection is a unique part of Scottish
history and the impact of its loss cannot be
overstated," he said.
Police suspect the involvement of organised
crime in the theft.
Their enquiries have led them to believe that a
gang from the west of Scotland with underworld
links may have been involved.
Although a "significant enquiry" has been
carried out in respect of the theft, police are
issuing a fresh appeal to the public for help
in tracing the coins.
Contact police
A police spokesman said: "The coins are
unsellable on the market because they are so
well known, and dealers and others in the coin
trade have been checking the source of any
early Scottish coins that appear for sale.
"We are hoping that the prospect of a £50,000
reward may help jog the memories of those who
could help us in our enquiries.
"We would urge anyone with any information
about the whereabouts of these coins to
contact police immediately."
Information can also be left on the
confidential Crimestoppers phone line.
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