A hoard of over 2,500 ancient coins unearthed by metal detectorists in England has been acquired by the South West Heritage Trust for £4.3 million ($5.6 million).
The charity announced that it had acquired the coins for the nation thanks to major funding, including from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Art Fund. Dated to the time of the Norman conquest of England, the hoard of coins was valued by the Treasure Valuation Committee, which determined it to be worth some £4.3 million—making it the highest-valued treasure find ever recorded in the United Kingdom.
“The hoard symbolizes a pivotal moment in English history and we are delighted to have made this acquisition so that it may be enjoyed by generations to come,” said Sam Astill, chief executive of the trust, in a news release.
A team of seven friends stumbled upon 2,584 silver coins while metal detecting in the Chew Valley near Bath in Somerset, England in January of 2019. The find was reported to the local coroner as required under the Treasure Act of 1996.
“It’s an amazing feeling to have unearthed this spectacular hoard. We’ve been dreaming of this for 15 years but it’s finally come true,” said Lisa Grace and Adam Staples in a press release.
The Trust said that the Chew Valley Hoard, as it is now known, is “one of the most remarkable finds” ever reported under the Treasure Act. The Act states that people who find historic gold, silver, or other precious items that a coroner deems to be “treasure” can take a share of the reward, which is then funded by a museum that wishes to acquire it. The £4.3-million fund will be halved and paid to both the landowner—whose identity has not been revealed—and the finders.
“This remarkable hoard gives us unique insight into our country’s rich history and one of the most important moments in our history, when these islands were thrown into turmoil by the Norman Conquest,” said Heritage Minister Sir Chris Bryant in a press release.
“The Treasure Act 1996 ensures that these coins, dating back to 1066, will be displayed in museums across the UK before residing in Somerset, giving people from different regions the opportunity to see this extraordinary treasure, learn more about our past, and protect this part of our heritage for future generations,” he said.
The exact circumstances in which the hoard was buried are uncertain, according to the British Museum. It noted that the coins were probably buried for safekeeping in the southwest of the country during a period of unrest as the Welsh attacked Herefordshire in 1067, followed by the Siege of Exeter by King William I in 1068. Later the same year, Harold’s sons returned from Ireland and carried out raids around the mouth of the River Avon, Bristol, and down into Somerset.
The hoard is made up of silver pennies minted between 1066 and 1068 primarily depicting Harold II, the last crowned Anglo-Saxon King of England, and his successor, William the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England.
The discovery of the coins is “extremely significant,” as it informs people of the impact the Norman Conquest had as a turning point in English history, said Gareth Williams, a curator of early medieval coinage.
“One of the big debates among historians is the extent to which there was continuity or change, both in the years immediately after the Conquest and across a longer period. Surviving historical sources tend to focus on the top level of society, and the coins are also symbols of authority and power,” he said.
“At the same time, they were used on a regular basis by both rich and poor, so the coins help us understand how changes under the Norman rule impacted on society as a whole.”
From Nov. 26, the Chew Valley Hoard will be displayed at the British Museum in London and will then travel across the UK to other museums, before finding a permanent home at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton in 2026.