If you see a set for sale, Chelmsford Police would like to know.

It’s almost five years since they were taken and now police are launching a re-appeal in the hope the coins may now have surfaced somewhere.

The collection of more that 2,000 pieces was taken from a private house in the small village of Broughton in the Scottish Borders, overnight between the 6th and 7th of June 2007, whilst the collector and his family were away on holiday.

This collection included items which are for all intents and purposes priceless – the majority of the collection consisted of coins which are more than 700 years old – several which are irreplaceable, including one coin which was minted in Aberdeen more than 900 years ago. Alexander III of Scotland hammered silver penny (reigned from 1214-1249)

The collection is a unique part of Scottish history – probably the greatest collection of Scottish coins ever assembled – and is even more significant than the collection held within the National Museum of Scotland.

The coins’ owner was intending to document and illustrate the collection and, at some point in the future, donate it to the museum so it would have been safeguarded for generations to come.

If the collection is recovered the owner will keep it at the National Museum so they can be protected and studied by future generations.

Officers are convinced that the rarity of these coins would make them extremely difficult to sell on and are appealing to anyone – especially antique dealers or collectors – who think they may have been offered any of these coins to get in touch.

So far none of the coins has surfaced.

There is a substantial reward of £50,000 pounds being offered for information which leads to the full recovery of the collection.

Please ask yourself:

Do you have information about the break-in in 2007?
Have you been offered these coins for sale?
Did you see anything suspicious in the area around that time?
Do you have any other information about the theft?

The total value of the stolen coins is around £50,000.

Two Basil D’Oliveira Man of the Match gold coins in presentation cases were taken from a cabinet in the foyer of the Graeme Hick pavilion at the New Road ground.

A silver goblet, eight inches tall, along with a presentation card to Mr D’Oliveira in 1964.

Each coin is 24 carat gold and the size of a pound coin. They are engraved with Arabic letters and design.

The coins were a gift to the victim and are of great sentimental value.

The coins taken included some white Victorian coins.