The Country's Largest Hoard Of Viking-era Coins Has Been Discovered In Norway
- 4.10.2026, 15:40
It contains about 5,200 coins.
In Norway, archaeologists have discovered the largest Viking-era hoard known in the country. The Merstad hoard in the eastern part of the country contains about 5,200 coins, according to Science Norway.
The hoard was discovered in April by treasure hunters Rune Sætre and Vegard Serli. At first, archaeologists estimated that the find would consist of several hundred coins, but the number gradually exceeded 4,000 and reached 4,886 by early summer.
After that, the search had to be suspended. Excavations and a ground-penetrating radar survey of the site showed no obvious continuation of the hoard, so the field was returned to agricultural use and planted with grain. After the harvest, treasure hunters resumed surveying the site and began finding coins again.
According to the latest estimates, the hoard contains about 5,200 coins. Metal detectors continue to pick up new signals, but finds are becoming less frequent and are presumably buried deeper. Archaeologists are removing layers of soil so that treasure hunters can survey the lower sections. It is not yet known how many more coins remain in the ground.
Among the coins found are four Norwegian coins minted during the reign of King Harald Hardrada. They allow the hoard to be dated to approximately 1046–1047, that is, the end of the Viking Age. Coins from other countries were also found in the collection.
Numismatists have identified the names Beorn, Aslak, and Cetil on some of the coins. These names are of Scandinavian origin, which may indicate Viking involvement in the production of English coins.
Experts at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History are currently cataloging the finds. According to experts, processing the collection will take at least a year.
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