Bitterley Hoard facts for kids
The Bitterley Hoard is a very special collection of old coins. It's the biggest group of coins from the time after the Middle Ages, especially from the English Civil War, ever found in Shropshire, England. A person using a metal detector discovered it on February 17, 2011. This exciting find happened near a village called Bitterley in South Shropshire.
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What is the Bitterley Hoard?
The Bitterley Hoard is a treasure of 138 coins. It includes one shiny gold coin and 137 valuable silver coins. These coins were carefully placed inside a nice leather purse. The purse itself was hidden inside a special pottery pot called a tyg. A tyg is a type of drinking cup with several handles.
When Was the Hoard Buried?
The coins in the hoard tell us when it might have been buried. The oldest coin was made during the time of King Edward VI. The newest coin was made in early 1644. This coin came from the Bristol Provincial Mint, which was a special place where coins were made for King Charles I. Because of this, experts believe the hoard was hidden sometime after early 1644. This was during the English Civil War, a time of great trouble in England.
How Was the Hoard Found?
The Bitterley Hoard was found by someone using a metal detector. This person was searching near the village of Bitterley. Metal detectors help people find metal objects hidden underground. Finding such a large and old collection of coins is very rare and exciting!
Why is the Hoard Important?
On June 28, 2012, the coin hoard was officially declared as "Treasure". This happened under a law called the Treasure Act 1996. A "Coroner" for Shropshire made this declaration. A coroner is an official who investigates certain finds.
The coins were then valued by a special committee. This committee works for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This department helps decide how important cultural items are.
The Shropshire Museum Service is very interested in owning the hoard. They want to show it to the public at the Ludlow Museum. People are helping to raise money to buy the hoard. This is being done through public donations by a group called the Friends of Ludlow Museum. This way, everyone can learn about this amazing historical find.
