THREE solid gold coins were stolen from a security case at the Manchester Museum in Oxford Road.

Known as Nobles, they were taken from the coin room where they have been on display as part of a collection on loan from the British Museum in London.

The coins were minted between 1445 and 1485 as gold bullion to be used as army payment during the Wars of the Roses.

Many Nobles were stolen during the wars and have been recovered from all over the country.

The Nobles stolen from the museum last Thursday are from a collection unearthed in Nottinghamshire in 1966 and form part of the Fishpool Collection.

Each coin, which is approximately the size of a two-penny piece, is valued at £1,000 to £3,000. Two of the Nobles have now been recovered and police have arrested a 44-year-old man from Manchester in connection with the incident.

Detectives are continuing to question him but are trying to trace the whereabouts of the third coin.

Sgt Phil Ribchester said: "This coin is part of an extremely valuable and historically important collection. I am appealing to antiques dealers and coin collectors to try to remember whether they have recently been offered or sold a Noble which could possibly form part of this collection."

Anyone with information should contact police at Greenheys on 0161 856 4457 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.