Detectorist's shipwreck treasure on display at Swansea museum
Metal detectorist Peter Hughes spent over two decades uncovering a vast hoard of treasure from the 1583 wreck of the ship *Ann Francis*, which was lost off Margam Beach in Neath Port Talbot during a violent storm. His discoveries—made after coastal storms shifted the sand concealing them—include approximately 870 gold and silver coins, personal items, drinking utensils, a boatswain's whistle, and an unopened brass combination lock. Highlighting a key period in Welsh maritime history, the full collection of artefacts has now gone on public display for the first time at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, while the stretch of beach where they were found has been designated a protected site to prevent further detecting.
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