A reward of £50,000 has been announced in the ongoing search for a collection of rare Scottish coins that were stolen back in 2007. The theft took place at the home of Lord and Lady Stewartby in Broughton, near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Over 1,000 coins dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries were taken in the heist. The late Lord Stewartby donated the rest of his collection to the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow in 2017, but the missing coins have yet to be recovered.
The appeal and reward, launched by Crimestoppers, are aimed at gathering information that could lead to the recovery of these valuable coins. Jesper Ericsson, curator of numismatics at the Hunterian, expressed the significance of the stolen coins, describing them as a loss not only for Lord Stewartby but also for Scottish numismatics as a whole. These medieval Scottish coins are considered extremely rare and are of significant national importance, representing an early chapter in the history of Scottish coinage.
The missing coins span a period of around 150 years, from 1136 during the reign of David I to around 1280 under the rule of Alexander III. Lord Stewartby, who began collecting coins at a young age, spent over 70 years amassing his collection before the theft occurred in 2007. Despite his efforts, the stolen coins have yet to be recovered, leaving a void in Scotland’s heritage. Lady Stewartby has shown her support for the appeal in the hopes of encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
The Crimestoppers reward will be available for three months, with the total reward amounting to £50,000 thanks to a generous anonymous donor. The search for these coins is crucial in preserving Scotland’s rich heritage, and the recovery of such a valuable collection would be a significant achievement. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimestoppers anonymously to help return these coins to their rightful place at the Hunterian Museum.