After Ludlow Museum staff informed Anthony Sibcy, the coroner for South Shropshire, of Ms. Harding’s find, the case against her was put into motion. The coroner reported her refusal to hand over the piedfort to the police. When she got to court, she faced a fine, three months in jail, or both.
At long last, on February of 2010, Ms. Harding walked free. The court discharged her case with the condition of paying £25 of the total £300 cost of her trial. In the end, however, the court decided she did not have the legal right to the piedfort.
A Priceless Token
Despite all that had happened, or maybe because of it, Kate was more determined than ever to hold onto that special relic. It dated back to 14th century France, but she did not care at this point.
The coin was invaluable to her! It was a priceless memento and she was not going to relinquish it.
It Was All She Had Left of Her Mom
She was set on keeping it, but she feared the Crown would continue its quest to obtain it. She was briefed by her lawyer that the state had a right to go after it even if she was cleared of charges.
She did not know what she was going to do.
Tying up Loose Ends
Ms. Harding did what she was supposed to do in the first place. She went to the South Shropshire coroner’s office and paid him a visit. But it was not the type of visit he was expecting.
There was a little surprise up her sleeve.
“I lost it”
When she got to the coroner’s office, she told him she had misplaced it. It was lost. The Ludlow Museum was willing to pay her £3,000 for letting go of the treasure, but there was no treasure to barter.
The little piece of European history did not fall into the hands of Ludlow Museum. It was officially missing.