It’s a hoard now acknowledged as the highest-valued treasure find ever recorded in the United Kingdom.
The group will now get half of the proceeds from the £4.3 million (NZ$9.3 million) sale of the coins to the South West Heritage Trust that was announced Tuesday, with the rest going to the land owner.
The coins will be displayed at the British Museum in London starting next month.
The trust said that the Chew Valley hoard is “one of the most remarkable finds” ever reported after a 1996 law made it possible for some people who find valuable historical objects to get a share of the reward when the objects are sold to museums or collectors.
The hoard symbolises “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,” Sam Astill, chief executive of the trust, said.
In all, the hoard weighs about 3.4kg. It contains coins that were made between 1066 and 1068 and feature three rulers: William I, the first Norman king known as “The Conqueror,” Harold II, the last crowned Saxon king of England, and, in one instance, Edward “The Confessor,” the last king of the House of Wessex, who ruled before Harold II and was later made a saint.
Lisa Grace and Adam Staples, who led the group that found the hoard, previously told the BBC their dream of 15 years had “finally come true”.
Staples told the that friends asked him and Grace, his then-partner, to show them how to use their new metal detector.
They decided to travel to the Chew Valley and “make a weekend of it. Have a few beers, go detecting,” he said.
Amateur treasure hunters are common in the United Kingdom, where modern metal-detection technology and a greater awareness of treasure hunting – or dirt fishing – has made treasure finds less rare.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sports, there were an estimated 1378 treasure finds reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022, the highest number since records began after the passage of the Treasure Act of 1996.
This 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,” Chris Bryant, British minister responsible for heritage, said.
In October 1066, William of Normandy, who believed he was the legitimate king of England, invaded and defeated the English army, led by Harold II, at the Battle of Hastings. The Norman Conquest left an important mark on architecture, laws, culture and even the English language.
The coins were probably buried “for safekeeping during rebellions in the southwest against the new Norman king,” around 1067 or 1068, the trust said.
After a period where they will be shown at the British Museum in London, the coins will travel to other museums across the UK, before going to the Museum of Somerset.
This will give “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,” Bryant said.
The South West Heritage Trust received the bulk of the money to purchase the coins from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which channels money raised from purchases of state-franchised National Lottery tickets into historical preservation grants. Other funding came from the Art Fund, the Friends of The Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society.
