Roman helmet found in field is sold for £2.3m

The “exceptional” artefact – one of only three such items to be found – is almost 2,000 years old and was bought anonymously.

Six bidders were in the running at the London sale, pushing the price steeply from its original 200,000-300,000 estimate into the millions.

The bronze discovery – known as the Crosby Garrett Helmet after the village near which it was found – sold for 2,281,250 at Christie’s South Kensington.

It was found in May 2010 and is said to date from the late 1st to 2nd century AD. It would have been used for show in a sporting event, rather than protection in combat.

The winning bid was made by phone, the auction house said. The item will have made its unnamed finder, who is from the North East and in his 20s, very wealthy. The helmet was not covered by treasure law, which only applies to bronze objects which are found in hoards.

If it had been covered, the British Museum would have automatically been given an opportunity to acquire it, compensating the finder and landowner.

Thwarted bidders included Tullie House in Carlisle which has been frantically fundraising in the past few weeks to buy the helmet.