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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;KLJ, post: 253326, member: 1910&quot;]Ouch.&nbsp; From the 9 July <i>Daily Telegraph</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><font size="4">£500,000 of coins stolen in Scotland</font></p><p>By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent</p><p><br /></p><p>One of Britain&#039;s most important historic coin collections has been stolen from the home of a former government minister. </p><p><br /></p><p>Antique coins worth more than half a million pounds, including one struck under the reign of Robert the Bruce, 900 years ago, were taken in the raid. </p><p><br /></p><p>Police believe around 1,000 coins, collected over more than 50 years, were removed from the home of Lord and Lady Stewartby in Broughton, in the Scottish Borders. </p><p><br /></p><p>advertisementLord Stewartby, the former MP for Hertfordshire North, who as Sir Ian Stewart served as a minister with the Tory government in the 1980s, is regarded as Scotland&#039;s foremost collector.</p><p><br /></p><p>Other valuable items taken include coins created under the reign of David II in the 14th century, and James I and James II in the 1400s. </p><p><br /></p><p>Experts said the theft of the Scottish collection could set back academic research by decades. </p><p><br /></p><p>Nick Holmes, curator of numismatics at the National Museums of Scotland, added: “It has always been made available as a resource for people researching coins and to lose so many coins from this period is a tragedy. </p><p><br /></p><p>“Of course, for poor Ian this must be awful and he has devoted more than half a entry to this collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>“He is the acknowledged expert in this field and is the one we all turn to when we want to know something.” Lydia Pretzlik, 38, the Tory peer&#039;s daughter, said he was devastated by the loss. </p><p><br /></p><p>Speaking from her home in London she added: “My father collected his first Scottish coin in 1945 when he was just ten and has been interested in them ever since. </p><p><br /></p><p>“It is his life&#039;s work in many ways and this is a big shock to him. </p><p><br /></p><p>“He retired in May from his duties and had planned a number of projects relating to his collection, including a catalogue of his coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>“He has amassed an amazing archive and it would be a terrible shame to see such a collection lost forever.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>The theft happened a month ago but police only released details of the incident yesterday. </p><p><br /></p><p>The family is offering a substantial reward for the recovery of the coins, which are thought to date from 1136 to 1290. </p><p><br /></p><p>A police spokesman said the collection was a “unique part of Scottish history” and they had not ruled out the possibility that it had been stolen to order.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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