Rare 17th-Century Irish Marriage Locket and Hidden Italian Gold Coin Shatter Expectations at London Auction

For centuries, the physical manifestation of a profound romantic union was lost to history, swallowed by the Irish soil before finally reemerging to captivate historians, collectors, and numismatists alike. Crafted around the year 1660 to commemorate the marriage of Robert Coppinger and his wife Margarett—both members of the Catholic landowning gentry residing in County Cork, Ireland—a remarkable silver locket recently made a triumphant return to the public eye. The piece, deeply rooted in the turbulent religious and social landscape of 17th-century Ireland, was offered at Roseberys Fine & Decorative auction in London on October 1, where it not only attracted intense bidding competition but ultimately shattered its pre-sale auction estimates.

The locket itself is a masterpiece of miniature devotional art and personal sentiment. Fashioned in an oval shape, the exterior silverwork is heavily adorned with intricate religious iconography. The front face features a delicate and precise engraving of the Nativity, anchoring the piece in Christian devotion. Meanwhile, the reverse side portrays the Adoration of the Magi, accompanied by a deeply personal and historically invaluable inscription reading “ROBT COPPINGER & MARGARETT COPPINGER als. ROCHE.” This inscription not only identifies the groom but also preserves Margarett’s maiden name, Roche, providing genealogists and historians with a definitive anchor to the prominent Coppinger and Roche families of County Cork.

The artistry and symbolism do not stop at the exterior casing. Upon opening the locket, one is greeted by an additional layer of profound religious and cultural significance: an engraving of the Crucifixion graces the interior. Tucked securely inside this sacred enclosure lies an extraordinary piece of European numismatics—a gold 2 doppia coin struck in 1619 from the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza during the reign of Duke Ranuccio I Farnese.

According to representatives from Roseberys Auctions, the inclusion of this specific coin would have carried immense personal and symbolic resonance for the Coppinger family. During the 17th century, wealthy Europeans frequently carried high-value gold coins as portable wealth, often mounting them or wearing them as jewelry to display their status, liquidity, and piety. The doppia functioned widely as a trusted trade gold coin, circulating through the hands of the elite across the continent. For a prominent Catholic landowning family in Ireland navigating a complex and often hostile political environment under English rule, possessing and wearing such a coin combined material wealth with a quiet, wearable statement of their faith and European connections.

The exact circumstances surrounding how, when, and why the locket was originally lost to the elements remain shrouded in mystery. Centuries passed with no record of its whereabouts, transforming the artifact into a ghost of the past. However, the locket’s long slumber came to an end around 1850 beneath the shadow of the historic castle of Mashanaglass in County Cork. A local farm laborer, going about routine agricultural work, inadvertently struck the hidden object with his spade.

The violent impact of the farm tool left its mark on the artifact, as the silver locket bore the direct brunt of the blow and suffered physical damage. Yet, by a remarkable twist of fate, the gold coin sealed tightly within the silver casing remained entirely untouched. As experts at Roseberys noted, the survival of the 1619 doppia is entirely owed to the locket that housed it; the outer shell acted as a protective shield, guarding the delicate gold coin from the very spade that unearthed it near Mashanaglass more than 170 years ago.

Following its dramatic rediscovery, the locket was brought to the local parish rector. Recognizing the importance of the find, the rector arranged for its restoration and eventually ensured that the heirloom was returned to a living descendant of the Coppinger family. Anna Evans, Head of Works of Art at Roseberys, emphasized the rare emotional and historical resonance of the object, noting that very few historical items survive with such a vivid, tangible sense of the specific people and places to which they originally belonged.

When the locket finally made its way to the auction block at Roseberys Fine & Decorative sale on October 1, it arrived accompanied by a rich documentary archive that traced its modern history and authenticated its contents. The token of love and devotion was paired directly with a rare copy of The Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal from 1895, which had originally published an account of the locket’s discovery following its unearthing in County Cork. Furthermore, the auction lot included a fragile, handwritten letter dating back to 1892 from the Keeper of Coins at the British Museum, who had formally examined and identified the Italian gold coin decades prior.

Beyond its compelling backstory and association with the Coppinger lineage, the coin itself commanded immense attention from numismatic collectors due to its inherent rarity. Surviving examples of the 1619 2 doppia are exceedingly scarce today. Throughout the centuries, countless gold coins of this caliber were melted down, reminted, or lost to economic turmoil, making authentic, well-preserved specimens highly sought-after acquisitions. When 1619 doppias do occasionally surface at major international sales, they typically command exceptionally high prices, reflecting both their scarcity and the artistry of the Farnese mint.

This particular specimen proved to be no exception to the rule. Heading into the auction, Roseberys specialists had placed a pre-sale estimate of £3,000 to £5,000 on the lot—a respectable figure reflecting its dual historical and numismatic appeal. However, intense interest from competitive bidders quickly drove the price far past expectations. When the hammer finally fell, the locket and its hidden 1619 gold coin realized a final price of £8,528, easily surpassing its initial high estimate and underscoring the enduring market demand for museum-quality historical artifacts with impeccable provenance.

The journey of the Coppinger locket—from its creation in 1660 as a celebration of matrimony, through its loss and mid-19th-century discovery beneath the soil of Mashanaglass, to its meticulous documentation by 19th-century scholars and its triumphant sale in London—stands as a rare triumph of preservation. It is exceptionally uncommon to find an antique coin whose entire journey, stretching seamlessly from the mint to a deeply personal marriage keepsake, and finally to its dramatic rediscovery, is so thoroughly and completely documented.

For those seeking further details regarding the historic locket, the accompanying archival materials, or upcoming sales hosted by the auction house, additional information can be found directly through Roseberys Auctions in London.