$4.7m Race to Save Henry VIII Gold Pendant
October 16, 25
(IDEX Online) - The British Museum, in London, has launched an appeal to raise $4.7m (£3.5m) to acquire a 500-year-old gold pendant linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon.
It hopes to buy the so-called Tudor Heart for the nation by April 2026, and to ensure it doesn't go into a private collection.
The heart-shaped 24-carat-gold pendant was unearthed in a field in Warwickshire, central England, by a metal detectorist in 2019.
The British Museum, which currently has the pendant on display, says it's virtually the only object marking the marriage between Henry VIII and Katherine, the first of his six wives.
It was Henry's wish to annul the marriage that led to the Reformation - the historic break from the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England.
It is believed the pendant was created for a tournament held in October 1518 to mark the betrothal of Henry and Katherine's only surviving daughter, Princess Mary, to the French heir apparent.
"Almost no other objects survive that celebrate Henry and Katherine's relationship, most having been lost over time," the British Museum said yesterday (15 October).
"The Tudor Heart therefore acts as an important historical witness, showing both the luxury of Henry VIII's earlier reign and the strength of their union before it was ultimately annulled in 1533.
British law requires the museum to pay a reward - the market value as determined by a panel of experts - to retain found treasure. The reward is split equally between the finder and landowner.
Pic courtesy British Museum.