Speaking after the inquest McKnight – from Newbold Verdon – said on 14 September 2025 he was part of an organised dig in Market Bosworth when he found the ingot.
“I’m wandering around having a look and a few little things are coming up, artefacts, broken things.
“And then that [the gold ingot] came out of the ground.
“Very, very unexpected,” he said.
He added one of the reasons he took up metal detecting was due to a “love” of history, with exercise coming “second”
“I just love the history – to think if someone dropped something 3,000 years ago and you’re the first one to see it since.”
The coroner told the inquest the ingot was formed of a “solid cylinder of gold” which had been bent into a circular shape and comprised of two coils.
Pinder said the ingot weighed four grams (0.14 ounces), and was 17.63 mm (0.69 inches) in length, 15.86 mm (0.62 inches) in width and 2.07 mm (0.08 inches) in thickness.
The inquest heard details of a report produced by the finds liaison officer, which stated the ingot dated from either the Bronze Age or Early Medieval period, however, a prehistoric date was deemed “most likely”.
A hoard of 27 silver coins found in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and a gold ingot found in Hoton were also declared treasure at separate inquests on Tuesday.