Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Now I am collector (or 'hoarder' as one ex girlfriend said) .... I like old coins, because when you handle them, you know that they were handled by human beings when they were minted until they were lost. I have coins (in reasonable condition), going back the the Pre-Roman, Greek Empire and Macedonian conquest  periods ..... running through Roman, Medieval, English Civil war and up to late British Empire dates.  It's a cheapish way of owning a bit of history ......

Anyway, imagine my envy at the find by a metal detectorist in the UK of this ....

Roman Cavalryman's Ceremonial Helmet

A Roman Cavalryman's ceremonial helmet ..... worn as an award for skill or bravery and possibly silvered (although that's gone if it ever existed).

Roman Cavalryman's Ceremonial Helmet Full Head

It sold after an anonymous phone bidder bought it for £2m...... which I hope is still in the UK (I certainly would block its export if I was the secretary of state involved).

I heard a radio presenter query why anyone would want to buy this outside of a Museum ...... he has no collectors soul. If I had won the Euro lottery £112m (its not been claimed yet, and I haven't checked my ticket yet LOL), I would buy this, and not even blink, its beautiful!

Ah well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I find it hard to imagine how anyone can't see the magic in this mask!