Ancient ring 'hidden by Sheriff of Nottingham' smashes auction estimate at auctioneers in Derbyshire

The 16th century posy ring, circa 1560, inscribed with the message ‘I Meane Ryght’, was secured by an online bid of £13,776 last week – triple its estimated value of £2,500-£3,500.

Water company worker Andy Tayor, 57, of Lincoln, dug up the posy ring and said: “The result surpassed anything I could have imagined. I hope the new owner is pleased with their purchase of such an amazing piece of history."

The ring’s possible link to the Sheriff of Nottingham arose from a coincidental discovery. Five minutes after Andy found the love token weighing almost 15g, Graham Harrison, a 65-year-old retired merchant navy engineer officer, found a signet ring nearby believed to belong to a former Sheriff of Nottingham. Graham’s find bore the crest of the Jenison family who served as Sheriffs of Nottingham. It sold for £8,500 at Hansons Auctioneers in March 2022.

The rings were uncovered during a metal detecting club’s event at Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire during the summer of 2020. Andy said: “It was an exciting find. When that signal goes off you never know whether it will be a ring-pull or ancient treasure. Some coins were discovered in the area on the same day.

“I’m 95% certain both the rings and coins belonged to the same person. They were all found within 10 square metres of each other. The land had been disturbed by a pipe being laid at some point, otherwise they might have been closer together.

“In my opinion it was a stash of valuables buried at the same time. Legend has it the Sheriff of Nottingham’s family hid valuables. I think the ring may have belonged to him or someone close to him. It appears to be a man’s posy ring, which is unusual. It’s the second largest ring of its type ever seen according to a report I received from the British Museum."

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “The posy ring generated an intense auction battle and a phenomenal result. Historical finds like this, buried for centuries in English soil, fascinate bidders all over the world. The ring was awash with intrigue thanks to its mystery message and possible

connection to the Sheriff of Nottingham or Jenison family.

“Posy rings were often used as betrothal or wedding rings centuries ago. The weight of the ring sold indicates its owner was wealthy. The messages inscribed inside were a secret to all but the wearer and giver so we can never be certain what ‘I Meane Ryght’ meant.

“Mention of the Sheriff of Nottingham reminds us of Robin Hood but the signet ring sold in 2022 related to a later sheriff. Tales of Robin Hood emerged in English folklore as early as the 13th and 14th centuries. Nevertheless, these finds still evoke those memories and remind us of Nottinghamshire life

during the turbulent times of the 16th and 17th centuries.”