Now the 42 sovereigns and five half sovereigns are to be sold at auction and the money divided between Marie Palliser and her friend Vanessa Spiteri, who now lives half a world away in New Zealand.

The coins were found in the summer of 1974 beside a public footpath in Sowerby, near Thirsk. Mrs Palliser – née Wilkinson – said: "We were picking wild flowers to take home to our mothers and we began looking for something to put them in.

"At the bottom of a hedge we found a jar which we thought had pennies in it. We tipped the coins into Vanessa's purse, planning to share them out when we got home. But they were quite irrelevant really. We were more interested in the jar."

Back home they showed the coins to Mrs Palliser's mother who recognised the head of Queen Victoria on some of them. She took them to a neighbour, who said they were gold coins and advised calling the police.

After a police search of the area and attempts to trace the owner failed, an inquest was held in Thirsk at which a jury declared that the sovereigns were treasure trove and should be handed back to the girls who had found them.

For 35 years they have been in a vault at Barclays' Bank. It was only when Mrs Palliser, now 41 and living in Carlton Minniot near Thirsk, was in the bank sorting out her mother's financial affairs, that she was advised to do something about the coins.

They were still inside a security envelope fastened with sealing wax.

Mrs Palliser said: "I remembered straight away that I burnt my finger on the hot wax when the package was sealed all those years ago."

She and Mrs Spiteri – née Kavanagh – decided the sovereigns should be sold at Tennants Spring Coin sale in Leyburn on April 29 where a reserve of between £5,000 and £6,000 has been placed on the 47 coins.

Neither of the women have any immediate plans for the proceeds of the auction. Mrs Palliser, who remains in touch with her friend in New Zealand via email, said: "We both have two children, so money is always welcome, and Vanessa has just built a new house."

Tennants' coin consultant Jeff Gardiner said it was unusual to find so many at the same time. They date from 1869 to 1913.

He said: "I think the last date is significant. They would not have gone into circulation until 1914 – the start of the First World War.

"I think the man who owned them has possibly been called up to serve his country and has hidden them and not come back. I would like to think that they would stay together as a collection – preferably in the North of England."

When the treasure trove inquest ended 35 years ago, the then Coroner Peter Hatch said: "After this I am sure these little girls will forever believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden."