Detectorist Finds Largest Hoard of Extremely Rare, Ancient Gold Coins From Anglo-Saxon Era

The huge hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold coins recovered from a field in England was declared a 'treasure' during an inquest in 2021. The collection comprised four gold objects with 141 coins, according to BBC. The objects along with 131 coins were spotted by a metal detectorist at different points of time on a field in West Norfolk. The remaining ten coins were located by a serving police officer at the same site who attempted to sell them and was jailed for 16 months. 

Some of the coins in the treasure belonged to the Byzantine empire but most of them were minted in the Merovingian kingdom. Examinations unveiled that the artifacts dated to around A.D. 610. Four objects in the collection include a stamped gold pendant, a gold bar, and two other pieces of gold. Researchers believe that the combination of coins and objects in the treasure implied that the collection was treated as a bullion. This meant that it was valued according to weight rather than currency.

The coins were mostly Frankish tremisses with nine of them being gold solidi, as per The Guardian. The collection also contained a larger coin in comparison to others that belonged to the Byzantine Empire. Researchers want to explore the site more and find its connection with the treasure. They believe the link between the two aspects will provide them with an understanding of early trade and exchange systems in the region.

Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coins at the British Museum, claims the treasure is the largest coin hoard from the Anglo-Saxon period, stated BBC. Experts think the coins could have been buried at the site and later spread due to plowing. Researchers assert that the coins were possibly brought by transportation to Norfolk. "All the coins were minted on the continent, as we didn't have gold coins of our own then," Numismatist, Adrian Marsden, from the Norfolk Historic Environment Service said.

Researchers compared the treasure's value to the hoard found in Sutton Hoo, according to The Guardian. "This is a hugely important find. It is close in date to the famous ship burial from Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, and although it doesn’t contain as much gold as the whole of the Sutton Hoo burial, it contains many more coins," Williams stated. "In fact, it is the largest coin hoard of the period known to date. It must be seen alongside other recent finds from East Anglia and elsewhere, and will help to transform our understanding of the economy of early Anglo-Saxon England."

The hoard garnered lots of attention from aficionados worldwide because of the kind of coins it contained. Most were coins never previously seen by experts anywhere, while one design was recorded by experts decades ago from an ancient book that has since gotten lost. Experts considered the hoard as a symbol of the expansive influence the region then ruled by the Kingdom of East Anglia had on the world. In the words of Norwich Castle and Art Gallery curator, Tim Pestell, the hoard "reflects the wealth and continental connections enjoyed by the early Kingdom of East Anglia." The collection was declared a treasure during an inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court in Norwich.