Hoard of Viking coins declared treasure

Inquest held at Douglas Courthouse is second in 2024

Manx National Heritage says the discovery of a hoard of coins further enhances the Island's 'rich Viking legacy'.

The 36 silver coins - consisting of 46 separate fragments - were discovered earlier this year 'in a field next to the coast'.

Metal detectorists John Crowe and David O’Hare found the first coin on 23 January and returned to the site several more times until the end of April.

They were detecting with permission on private land.

The hoard was declared treasure today (30 September) during an inquest held at Douglas Courthouse.

Curator of Archaeology Allison Fox told Deputy Coroner of Inquests Rebecca Cubbon the hoard represented a 'good size savings account'.

She said the coins were put into the ground in three different phases, likely in the AD 1020s, 1050s and 1070, with each coin worth about £20 in today's money at the time.

The coins were revealed to be 90 per cent pure silver.

She added that the discovery: "Further adds to our understanding of the Isle of Man as an offshore financial centre in the Viking Age."

It was also confirmed Manx National Heritage will not be further excavating the field, as the coins were discovered no more than eight inches from the surface, meaning they have been moved from their original location into the topsoil over time.

It's not clear if they were originally buried in a bag or some other container.

The court heard that earlier this summer, the hoard was studied by the world’s leading expert in Viking Age coins from the Isle of Man, Dr Kristin Bornholdt Collins, an independent researcher and numismatist based in New Hampshire in America.

She confirmed that the hoard includes pennies minted in England and Ireland, dating from between around AD 1000 to 1065.

The majority were minted during the reign of Edward the Confessor (AD 1042 to 1066) with the English kings Aethelred II (AD 978 - 1016) and Canute (AD 1016 to 1035) also represented.

There are various English mints represented including York, London, Lincoln, Cambridge, Hastings, Ipswich and Exeter.

The Irish coins date from the middle of decades of AD 1000 and were all minted in Dublin. 

They feature the profile of King Sihtric Silkbeard who served as Norse King of Dublin from AD 989 to 1036.

The discovery marks the second treasure inquest on the Island in 2024.

Manx National Heritage has confirmed the coins will go on display at the Manx Museum from Wednesday (2 October) until 13 October.