A rare Roman coin unearthed by a metal detector enthusiast in a farmer's field has fetched a whopping £4,700 at an auction after being identified as a significant historical find.

Ron Walters, 76, hit the jackpot when he uncovered the nearly 2,000 year old gold coin last May on land he had been exploring for six years in Wall Heath, near Dudley, West Mids.

Believed to be the first aureus of Emperor Aulus Vitellius found in England, the artefact from 69AD has excited historians and collectors alike.

The retired welder amusingly recounted how he discovered the remarkable treasure, saying his wife encouraged him to "bugger off and get out the house for a bit."

After its initial examination, the British Museum relinquished claim to the coin, allowing Ron to auction it off yesterday (Thurs) at Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge, West Mids. The proceeds from the sale will be shared with the landowner.

Ron expressed his feelings about the sale: "I thought it might go for a bit more but it's been amazing to be part of a historic discovery and it's certainly something to tell the grandkids."

Although he plans to continue his hobby of searching for hidden gems with his metal detector, the likelihood of stumbling upon such an extraordinary item again seems slim, as experts have told him this was a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.

Adding a personal touch to his tale, the great-grandfather-of-seven from Kingswinford, West Mids. , revealed it was his wife's insistence that led him to the fortunate find.

He admitted: "I was going to go one Thursday and decided against it and it was my wife who basically told me bugger off and get out the house for a bit.

"And I was glad I did. I was out for a couple of hours and I picked a signal up. I started digging a bit but then I lost the signal.

"I managed to get this reading again from a clod of earth about 2ft away from me, I broke it open and then this coin dropped into my hand.

"My heart was racing, I just popped it in my pocket and went straight back home.

"In metal detecting circles a Roman coin is probably among the best things you can find."

Mark Hannam, senior coin specialist and auctioneer at Fieldings, described the coin as "a genuinely amazing find" and "a unique piece of history."

He said: "I am very pleased with the result, as the condition of soil and stone action had taken its toll a little, with the coin being in the ground for over 1,900 years.

"There was lots of pre-sale interest and bidding was brisk, quickly reaching level.

"The coin has gone to its new home with a collector in Scotland and I am pleased that it has remained in the UK.

"To find a coin from AD69 is incredibly rare, as most coins we find in this country are from the third and fourth centuries, and we are talking about a time when the gold was at its purest level."

Vitellius was a Roman emperor who reigned during a tumultuous eight-month period in 69 AD, a year famously known as the "Year of the Four Emperors."

He ascended to power following the defeat of Emperor Otho in a civil war between rival contenders for the imperial throne.

His government was marked by a penchant for luxury, lavish feasts, and an extravagant lifestyle, which stood in stark contrast to the escalating instability within the empire.

Vitellius made scant attempts to restore the moral and administrative order of the state, leading to his rule being poorly received by many Romans.