Budding detectorist finds unique coin depot from the Viking period

A handful of scattered silver coins were found in a ploughed field near Brobyværk on the Danish island of Fyn by detectorist and amateur historian Claus Gundersen. When he contacted the Museum of the Archipelago and an archaeologist arrived at the site, they found a container with hundreds of silver coins. Much to everyone's surprise, it turned out that there was another vessel lying deeper in the ground. Also filled to the brim with coins, but with the remains of the cloth in which the coins had been placed.
Claus Gundersen is a beginner metal detectorist, but he has nevertheless acted in an exemplary manner according to Danish law: "I only started using a metal detector in the summer. I'm interested in history and searching with a detector releases tension and stress. The fact that I already found this huge treasure in the autumn is absolutely crazy. It's great to be the first to touch something that's been in the ground for 1000 years. When it happened, I froze completely and actually had no idea what I was going to do next. That's why I just sat by the treasure without digging it up. When I regained my composure, I called the museum, and then it picked up speed."

"It's really amazing. It's rare to find such a large depot of coins. I never thought I would experience something like this. You usually only read about such finds," explained museum inspector Nicolai Garhøj Larsen. He continued. Not all the coins have been examined yet, there are about 800 coins in the second jar alone. After an initial inspection, it is clear that these are English coins and also coins of the Danish king Sven II Estridsson Ulfssonz (Sven II of Denmark) from around 1050, when they were of great value. Claus decided to do the right thing; namely to mark the site, not to dig further and to contact us at the Museum of the Archipelago," praised the finder's approach.

Claus Gundersen has not only earned praise, but he has also been awarded an internship at the museum and therefore has the honour of helping to identify them before they are then handed over to the national museum: "Perhaps the treasure was hidden for better times that never came. Apparently their owner died before he could retrieve them. Maybe it was a sacrifice. In any case, the treasure was worth a considerable fortune and the owner must have been a person of high standing and wealth in society at the time," explained the lucky finder.
Experts say it is interesting that the treasure was found in an area where no previous finds from the Viking period have been discovered. It changes the view of the history and development of the whole area. Archaeologists are looking forward to the results of further examination of the coins from the hoard and also have high hopes for the upcoming analysis of the fabric in which the coins were originally wrapped.

Roman Němec

Sources: detrigtigefaaborg.dk, fyens.dk