A record-breaking hoard of Anglo-Saxon and Viking treasure has been discovered in field by two hobbyists.
Metal detector enthusiasts Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie made the discovery in a field on 10 April.
As of today (30 Apr), experts have unearthed 2,970 silver coins, with excavation work continuing.
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The detectorists found the country’s largest-ever Viking Age coin hoard in a field near Rena in Østerdalen, eastern Norway.
After uncovering an initial 19 silver coins, the pair immediately halted their search and alerted archaeologists from the Innlandet County Authority, following official guidelines.
The coins date from the 980s to the 1040s and are exceptionally well preserved, many appearing almost freshly minted due to the stony soil conditions.
The hoard consists mainly of Anglo-Saxon and German coins, with smaller numbers of Danish and Norwegian issues.
Notable examples include coins of English kings Æthelred II and Cnut the Great as well as Otto III and Harald Hardrada.
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It also contains hacksilver fragments, including part of a silver brooch and at least one coin adapted for use as jewellery.
Experts believe the hoard was deposited around 1047, at the start of Harald Hardrada’s reign, during Norway’s transition from reliance on foreign coinage to a national currency.
The wealth likely stemmed from the region’s extensive iron production, with bog ore processed and exported across Europe.
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Archaeologists have named the find the Mørstad Hoard.
Professor Svein Gullbekk of the University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History described the find as “completely unique” and a “sensational” addition to the archaeological record.
He said: “Foreign coinage dominates the circulation of money in Norway up until Harald Hardrada (1046–1066) established a national coinage.
“The hoard was deposited right at the beginning of this development.
“To find nearly 3,000 coins in one spot is unheard of in Norway; it is the kind of discovery that happens once in a century.”
Archaeologist May-Tove Smiseth described the moment as “a truly unique discovery of the kind one might only experience once in an entire career” and praised the detectorists’ exemplary cooperation.
“It was absolutely incredible to stand there and watch these coins being lifted from the earth.
“And to see the quality of the coins.
“They are so beautiful,” she added.
Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, called it “a historic discovery” that “all of Norway deserves to experience”.
The hoard surpasses previous Norwegian records, including the 1,849 coins from Årstad found between 1836 and 1843, and around 964 from Trondheim in 1950.
It is set to undergo detailed study at the Coin Cabinet of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, as reported by What’s The Jam.
The site has been cordoned off and guarded under Norway’s Cultural Heritage Act.
Officials describe the find as both a national and international event that offers rare insight into Viking Age economy, trade, and political change.
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