After a fruitless morning hunting for treasure, disappointed David Spohr trudged across a cow field to fetch his lunchtime sandwiches... and uncovered a Bronze Age solid gold necklace.
David, 55, was taking a break when his metal detector suddenly went off.
After digging around, he found what he thought was a sardine tin. But when he wiped the mud clean David saw that it was in fact a lunula – a crescent worn by tribal leaders .
It is thought to be between 2,500 and 4,500 years old and is estimated to be worth up to £20,000.
Any cash will be split between the land owner in Blandford, Dorset, and David, of nearby Poole.
The “little moon” is one of only three ever dug up in Britain and could have been worth more, had it not been for its broken end.
David said: “We do find a lot of rubbish and you never think you’re going to pick up a lump of gold.
"You dream of something like this – it was the find of a lifetime.”
The engraved necklace, which may end up in a museum, will be examined before officially being declared treasure.
Precision engineer David added: “I’ll probably use the money to go on holiday.”