ODDLY ENOugh

ODDLY ENOugh

Who stashed gold inside a piano? It’s a mystery

LONDON

British officials say they’ve been unable to trace the rightful heirs to a trove of gold coins found stashed inside a piano and worth a “life-changing” amount of money.

The school that owns the piano and the tuner who found the gold are now in line for a windfall after a coroner investigating the find declared it treasure. But a couple who owned the piano for three decades before donating it to their local school will likely miss out.

Coroner John Ellery said that, despite a thorough investigation and a public appeal for information, “we simply do not know” who concealed the coins.

The hoard was discovered last year when the piano was sent for tuning in Shropshire, central England. Under the keyboard – neatly stacked in hand-stitched packages and pouches – were 913 gold sovereigns and half-sovereigns minted in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Piano tuner Martin Backhouse said when he found the pouches and slit open the stitching, he thought: “Ooh, it looks like there’s rather a lot of gold in this.”

The hoard, which weighs 13 pounds, has not been formally valued. But Peter Reavill of the British Museum has said the trove is worth a “potentially life-changing” amount.

Revenue from items declared “treasure” is generally split between the owner – in this case, the Bishops Castle Community College – and the finder.

The piano was owned for 33 years by Graham and Meg Hemmings, who donated it last year to the school near their home. But Meg Hemmings said she’s not bitter at missing out on treasure that was right under her nose.

Man in bunny suit who blew air horn at police pleads guilty

SPARTA, N.J.

A man who wore a bunny costume and repeatedly blew an air horn inside a New Jersey police station has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

Kevin Hemmerich entered the plea and was fined $500. The judge also ordered a police officer charged with striking Hemmerich in Hopatcong last November to stand trial July 6.

Hopatcong police Officer Nicholas Maresca Jr. has pleaded not guilty to charges of simple assault and harassment. More than 50 officers went to court to support him.

Associated Press