Hoard of 1,000-year-old coins unearthed in a farmer's field sells for $5.6 million
Hoard of 1,000-year-old coins unearthed in a farmer's field sells for $5.6 million
A trove of more than 2,500 silver coins that lay buried for 1,000 years will go on display in British museums after being acquired for the nation.
Adam Staples knew he'd found something when his metal detector let out a beep. And then another. And another.
Soon "it was just 'beep beep, beep beep, beep beep,'" Staples said.
In a farmer's field in southwest England, Staples and six friends had found a hoard of more than 2,500 silver coins that had lain in the ground for almost 1,000 years. Valued at 4.3 million pounds ($5.6 million) and now bound for a museum, they will help shed light on the turbulent aftermath of the Norman conquest of England.
...
Michael Lewis, head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme — a government-funded project that records archaeological discoveries made by the public – said it is “one of the most spectacular discoveries” of recent years, especially because “its story is yet to be fully unraveled.”
Lewis said the coin hoard will help deepen understanding of the most famous date in English history: 1066, the year William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, replacing England’s Saxon monarchs with Norman French rulers.
In case, like me, you were trying to remember how Treasure Trove law works in the UK:
"The Treasure Act decrees that anyone who finds historic gold, silver or other precious items must inform the local coroner. If a coroner declares it treasure, the hoard will belong to the government, and museums can bid for funding to acquire it.
An expert committee sets a value on each find, with the money divided between the owner of the land and the finders. In this case, Staples and six fellow detectorists split half of the 4.3 million pound purse.
“It’s like winning the lottery,” said Staples, who plans to continue his treasure-hunting hobby. “I’m not going to give up now. I love it.”
I should have been a farmer.
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Associated Press - News Source Context (Click to view Full Report)
Information for Associated Press:
Wiki: reliable - The Associated Press is a news agency. There is consensus that the Associated Press is generally reliable. Syndicated reports from the Associated Press that are published in other sources are also considered generally reliable.
MBFC: Left-Center - Credibility: High - Factual Reporting: High - United States of America
Could you add another Associated Press link in case someone misses the first two?
Oh look! I found one coin!
Sold it for $10,000.00!
Wow! Look! I found one more coin!
Did you see QI last night?