A rare, precious piece of jewelry dating back to the 15th century was found by chance in England by a citizen with little experience with metal detectors.

In 2019, Charlie Clark had just spent six months metal detecting when he discovered a gold medallion in Warwickshire (West Midlands).

The jewelry was engraved with the symbols of the king of the Tudor dynasty, Henry VIII, and his first wife Katherine of Aragon. The first of Henry VIII's six wives had married Henry in 1509.

One side of the jewelry is decorated with a Tudor rose entwined with a bushy pomegranate growing from the same branch. The back is engraved with the letters H and K - for Henry and Katherine. Both sides are inscribed at the bottom with TOVS + IORS, a play on the French word "toujours" meaning "always".

When Clark, still a novice in the field of metal detecting, found the gem, he consulted an expert at Regton, a Birmingham shop, and contacted the British Museum to report his find.

Rachel King, curator of Renaissance works at the British Museum, was shocked when she learned of the discovery, she told CNN. She wondered if it was a genuine artifact, and after the medallion was delivered to the British Museum, it was analyzed to determine if it was indeed from the Tudor period.

One of King's tests dated the jewelry to before 1530, and the curator and her team speculate that the medallion may have been awarded as a prize or worn at a tournament Henry used to organize.

The medallion may change Clark's life if it is sold. He hopes to use the money for his 4-year-old son's education.

In 2021, according to the British Museum, 45,581 archaeological finds were recorded, 96% of which were found by people with metal detectors.