Arthur Daley's coat and trilby fetch £12,000 at Newbury auction

Snapped up by fan of Minder television series

THE TELEVISION character Arthur Daley's coat and memorable trilby hat went under the hammer at a Newbury auction house today (Thurs) for £12,000 - ten times the estimate.

George Cole’s camel coat and trilby from the ITV series Minder was sold at Special Auction Services (SAS), at Greenham Business Park.

The two items sold to a UK Minder fan in the room for £12,000, after the sale price rocketed above an original estimate of between £800 to £1,200.

The iconic items were regularly worn by Cole’s character Arthur Daley in the show that ran for 15 years and can also be seen in the opening credits.

Lots included the first ever Minder script, Gun Fight at the OK Launderette, aired on October 29, 1979 that fetched £540.

Cole's black cashmere overcoat worn during the series went for £5,400 and a grey three-piece suit sold for £1,680.

The auctioneers' music and entertainment expert Alan Pritchard said they were delighted with the sale:

“There was tremendous interest in all the lots and fierce bidding in the room. It is a real testament to George Cole, his iconic character and his illustrious career.”