Couple finds rare coins worth over $800,000 while renovating their kitchen floors

A couple in England discovered a lot of rare coins during a renovation project.

Gregory Edmund, an auctioneer and British coin specialist at Spink and Son, confirmed to TODAY that the coins were found by a North Yorkshire couple, who initially thought they had stumbled on a piece of electrical cable.

When they touched it, they realized it was a gold disc and there were hundreds more underneath. It was said via email.

The haul of rare coins was sold at an auction for $852,380, which was less than the estimate. The Yorkshire Post says the coins are linked to a Hull merchant family. The marriage of Maister to Fernley took place in 1725.

The Yorkshire couple found a hidden treasure.

There were 372 global registrants and dozens of successful bidders in the auction.

When the story of Joseph and Sarah Fernley came to my attention, I knew the story had to be told. The finders were staggered by the outcome. It set a number of world records along the way.

Edmund said that buyers from all over the world came to bid on the coins for the privilege of owning a piece of the treasure.

He said that the sale was unique. There is a rare chance to buy coins at an auction.

He said that he had never seen an auction like that before, with sales going three times over his estimate.

There are some highlight lots.

• The James VI and I Six Pounds Gold Coins sold for $6,100. The pre-sale price is $1,100.

• The lot was called "A Remarkable Mint Error" and was sold for $10,850. The pre-sale estimate was $1,100.

• The lot was sold before the union of England and Scotland. The pre-sale estimate was 3,400.

• There is a coin with no head but two tails. A George I 'Brockage' Guinea sold for over $70,000. The pre-sale estimate was around $4,500.

Edmund said, "This last coin is a new world record for any mint error coin of any country ever sold at auction, besting a US gold dollar sold in Texas in October 2011."

He said that the sale of these coins was extraordinary because of their unique history and discovery. He hopes that the discovery won't cause people to start renovations in hopes of replicating it.

He hopes people don't rip up their floors.

It's related.

The article was first published on TODAY.