More than 3,150 medieval coins dating back to the Viking Age were found in a field in Norway, the largest such discovery in the country’s history.
The search is ongoing, and archeologists expect there to be more in the vicinity.
Discovered in a field near the village of Rena, in Innlandet County, they offer a rare insight into the economy, the long-distance connections, and the flow of silver in Norway during a period marked by major political change, a statement from Innlandet County Municipality read.
While coin hoards, and the metal detecting community who find them, aren’t rare in England, this kind of thing rarely happens in Norway, despite it being one of birthplaces of the Viking Age. Just once before has a coin hoard—basically a bank account for a time without banks—exceeded 3,000 units in Norway, and only 4 times has one been found with 1,000 or more.
Dating from the late 10th to early 11th centuries, they were mostly minted in England and Germany, although some were minted in Norway and Denmark. The reliefs point to minting during the reigns of the powerful Viking king Harald Hardrada, as well as Ethelred II of England and Cnut the Great.
“During Harald’s reign, royal coinage gradually replaced most of the foreign currency in circulation. This hoard appears to have been deposited at the very beginning of that transition,” said Professor Svein Gullbekk of the Coin Cabinet at the Museum of Cultural History.
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Municipal authorities praised the two metal detectors, Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie, who had, according to the statement, completed ethical metal detecting courses organized to inform hobbyists how to best handle discoveries related to national archaeological heritage.
Sætre and Sørlie did everything correctly when they first found 19 silver coins in early April. “They have been highly cooperative and have played an active role in ensuring that the find has been secured and documented in the best possible way.”
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May-Tove Smiseth, an archaeologist and adviser on the Innlandet County Council, said the treasure has drummed up excitement in the local community.
“This is an extraordinary discovery of a kind one might experience only once in a career,” Smiseth said in a statement. “To be present when something like this comes to light is a truly remarkable experience, both professionally and personally.”
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