Lenborough Hoard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lenborough Hoard |
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|---|---|
| Size | 5,252 silver coins |
| Period/culture | Anglo-Saxon |
| Discovered | 21 December 2014 Lenborough, Buckinghamshire 51°58′37″N 0°58′52″W / 51.977°N 0.981°W |
The Lenborough Hoard is a huge collection of over 5,000 old Anglo-Saxon silver coins. These coins are from the 1000s. They were found in 2014 in Lenborough, Buckinghamshire, England. Many people think it's one of the biggest Anglo-Saxon coin hoards ever found in Britain!
Contents
Finding the Treasure
On December 21, 2014, a big group of metal detector fans gathered. About 100 people from the Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club were searching farmland. This was in Lenborough, a small village in Buckinghamshire.
One person, Paul Coleman, found something special. He found the coins buried about 2 feet (60 cm) deep. They were hidden inside a lead box.
Paul Coleman's Discovery
Paul Coleman first found a piece of lead. He thought it was just rubbish. But then he looked closer into the hole. He saw a shiny coin!
He lifted a bigger piece of lead. Underneath, he saw rows and rows of coins. They were stacked very neatly.
Amazing Condition
Pete Welch, who started the club, said the coins looked amazing. He said they were "like mirrors" with no scratches. They were buried very carefully in the lead box. It looked like only two people had ever touched them. One was the person who made them. The other was the person who buried them.
The coins were kept safe in a "lead parcel." This was buried in the heavy clay soil of the area.
Expert Help
An archaeologist named Ros Tyrell was also there. She works for the Portable Antiquities Scheme. She helps record old objects found in Buckinghamshire.
Ros Tyrell dug up the hoard right after it was found. The collection of coins was then taken to the British Museum. Experts there would examine and preserve them.
What Was Found?
The Lenborough Hoard has 5,252 silver coins. Almost all of them are whole coins. One coin was cut in half. This was called a hacksilver.
These coins are from the early 1000s. Many of them are from the time of two Anglo-Saxon kings. These kings were Æthelred the Unready (who ruled from 978–1013 and 1014–1016) and Cnut the Great (who ruled from 1016–1035). The coins were all wrapped in a sheet of lead.
Is It Treasure?
Because the hoard is made of precious metal and is over 300 years old, it must be checked. A special law called the Treasure Act 1996 applies. A coroner will decide if it is "treasure."
If it is called treasure, experts will decide how much it is worth. This is done by the Treasure Valuation Committee. A museum can then buy the hoard. The money from the sale would be shared. It would go equally to the person who found it and the landowner.
The coins are in such good condition. Experts think they could be worth as much as £1.3 million!
Why Was It Buried?
No one knows for sure why this huge collection of coins was buried. It remains a mystery!
How Much Is It Worth?
The Lenborough Hoard has been valued at £1.35 million. The Bucks County Museum wants to keep this amazing find for everyone to see. They need to raise the money to buy it. They have started an online appeal to help.
