Largest-ever Anglo-Saxon gold hoard unearthed in England

[TheCoxwain]

Source: CNN

A man using a metal detector in a rural English field has uncovered the largest Anglo-Saxon gold hoard ever found -- an "unprecedented" treasure that sheds new light on history, archaeologists said Thursday.



The hoard includes 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of gold and 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of silver. That is more than three times the amount of gold found at Sutton Hoo, one of Britain's most important Anglo-Saxon sites, said the local council in Staffordshire where the latest haul was found.

It's an "incredible collection of material -- absolutely unprecedented," said Kevin Leahy, an archaeologist with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a voluntary group that records finds made by members of the public. "We've moved into new ground with this material."

Because the find is so large and important, experts haven't been able to say yet how much it is worth. They hope to make a valuation within 13 months, Staffordshire Council said.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/24/staffordshire.uk.gold.hoard/index.html

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I have always found ads for the metal detectors really funny .. ( at the actors who are really happy about finding some crap in their backyard) .. Ive always wondered who are the Idiots who buy such stuff...

well ... I wont laugh anymore.

[derby378]

1. Hey, I've got a metal detector, myself...

They are wonderful for beachcombing, as long as you realize that most of the stuff you find will be junk. You get some exercise out of the deal, too.

One of these days, I'm taking the detector to some of the ghost towns in my state to see what it unearths.

[lisa58]

2. I gave one to my cousin for a retirement gift....

...this is a totally cool story - I'll have to forward it to him.

[niceypoo]

3. I had several metal detectors when I was a kid

Found a lot of coins, a gold watch that had been shredded with a lawn mower, a silver dollar from the 1800s and lots and lots of coins, but never came across any hoards of buried treasure.

He should be able to retire on this find. These things are worth a lot more than just their gold value.

[TheCoxwain]

4. I think the finder is an archeologist .. the find is probably headed to a Museum.

[Stella_Artois]

5. Probably

As i understand Treasure Trove law, the find has been declared treasure, and is therefore property of the Crown. The finder and / or landowner will be compensated at market value set by a panel of independant experts. The finder has reached an agreement with the landowner to split it 50/50 so they'll be an expected £500,000 each better off.

[No Elephants]

7. Nice, but that stuff has to be worth a lot more than that, even if were made of iron. Maybe they

should try Christie's. Or E-Bay. Against the law, I know. But geez. One year's admission receipts from people desireing a peek would probably exceed a million pounds. Maybe they should get a percentage of recipts for the next X number of years, too.

[Stella_Artois]

16. They will get market value

Not determined by the government but an panel of experts. They are not contesting it, so presumably agree they are getting a fair deal.

[NBachers]

6. the Portable Antiquities Scheme

Why can't I come up with words like that?

[lunatica]

8. I love stories like this

Imagine how much history is laying buried all over the world?! It makes me a little less cynical. I little more enthusiastic about a future full of positive possibilities because we don't know all there is to know.

[musicblind]

11. After reading this, that is exactly how I feel as well!

:hug:

[musicblind]

9. Wow. This is so much more than a get rich story!

I am so happy for Terry Herbert but this find is wonderful. I love reading Alison Weir and really everything I can get my hands on about British History. Terry Herbert has done much more than a service just to himself. The implications of the belt with the passage from Numbers on it could very well alter historian's perceptions on the development of Christianity as a movement against Pagan religions in the first millennium. The folded cross could be telling too. I wish there was a site where we could look through all these findings.

That being said, I also wish I could give Mr. Terry Herbert a great big hug! LoL. I hope he isn't ripped off considering the priceless value of his find. He should enjoy his money also knowing that he made a lot of History professors collectively smile. :)



(One last side note... isn't it sad that the moment I read something interesting on CNN.com I then rush straight to DU to see what people on my favorite community boards are saying about the exact same article. LoL.)

[myrna minx]

10. Wow. K&R n.t

[WriteDown]

12. I wonder what it would be worth melted down. nt

[TheCoxwain]

13. It would be worth a WHOLE lot less than it is worth now

see post #7

[WriteDown]

14. I saw that....

I still wonder what it would be worth. Also, there is no way to predict how many people would want to see it.

[LisaM]

17. Ack! Don't say that!

Over the course of history, a lot of priceless treasure has been melted down (for wars, and other things). Now it's lost forever.

[WriteDown]

18. Haha...

I agree. I just hope he's offered a price that really is MORE than the melted down value of the items considering the current price of gold.

[wickerwoman]

25. The current price of gold

is $997 an ounce, so 11 pounds of gold would be worth $175,472. That's not even close to 500,000 pounds and it's not even a fraction of the value of just the helmet found at Sutton Hoo.

Plus, you'd have to be a pretty enormous jackass to melt down priceless, irreplaceable antiquities for the gold, even if the price was a hundred times what it is today.

[Posteritatis]

22. Less. (nt)

[era veteran]

15. Metal Detecting is sort of like fishing

You never know what you'll find (catch). I would like to feel the rush you get when you find something like that. Really, really would like that rush.

[PassingFair]

28. I'm usually pretty sure about what I'LL find....

[JonQ]

19. Dibs!

[louis-t]

20. I've always wondered about ownership of this stuff.

Someone OWNS the property that someone finds treasure on. If someone comes on my property and 'finds' something in my yard, isn't it mine?

[Ozymanithrax]

21. Depends on the antiquity laws where you live.

Most places have laws about such objects. It is against the law to sell stuff on your own.

[mainer]

23. I think UK laws are pretty good about compensating finders

It encourages people to come forward to authorities.

[The Stranger]

26. Read "The Finders Cases."

Explains that exactly.

[Mudoria]

24. Go metal detecting in England and who knows what you'll find..

If it's better than the Sutton Hoo then it must be an amazing find...

[4dsc]

27. I found an medalion from the 1910 Iowa Republican State convention

with my metal detector. I'm going to see if the Iowa republicans' want to show it off at the 2010 state convention..

[Arugula Latte]

29. Amazing! Can you imagine how this guy felt when he dug this stuff up?

:wow: