A gold brooch worth £10,000 which may have been lost after a sword fight has been found nearly a millennium later by a metal detectorist exploring a harvested pea field.

Gintaras Beimavicius, 53, found the 13th century jewel – which is the size of a five pence coin – while scanning the field in a rally organised by metal detecting club Digging History UK

Experts believe there is only one finer example which is currently in the British Museum.

The broach which displays a tiny white pearl held by two clasped hands sent Beimavicius into a ‘Gold dance’ such was the elation of the find.

In medieval times only the top brass wore gold, suggesting that this brooch probably belonged to a lord or a civic official. One theory is that it might have been lost during a bloody sword fight.

The brooch is currently under examination by the Lincolnshire finds liaison officer for potential inclusion in the British Museum’s collection.

They’ll determine whether to acquire it and compensate Beimavicius, or return it to him with any proceeds from the discovery having to be divided 50/50 between Beimavicius and the landowner.

The delighted detectorist, who lives inGrantham and only started detecting five years ago, recalled the moment he made his ‘best ever find’ to the Daily Mail.

He said: “It’s my real piece of art and is so beautiful.

“When I dug out this beauty, my eyes couldn’t believe it. Straight away I understood this wasn’t a usual find.

“I think it’s my lifetime find. I just think who was wearing this brooch in medieval times and how significant it was then and is now.

“I believe any museum worth their weight in gold would want such a beauty.”

The editor of Treasure Hunting magazine, Julian Evan-Hart, theorised who this brooch could have belonged to over 800 years ago.

He said: “There were restrictions on just who could wear gold back in those times so the brooch most likely belonged to a lord, high-ranking civic official or maybe a member of the King’s retinue or royal family.

“I have no idea how the brooch ended up in the field but it’s one the beauties of this great hobby – we can try and guess.

“Was it a high-status individual riding a horse and who took a tumble and lost his brooch or was it stolen?

“Was it lost during a sword fight or did his falcon on his leather gauntlet lurch forward flapping its wings and pulling its jessies past the brooch ripping it off?

“Metal detecting has revealed several similar brooches over the decades but nonetheless this is still a very rare artefact – it is unique from the fact there may be similar but not identical examples.

“Any such discovery like this is significant as it is such a high-status artefact’.