A hoard of 122 Anglo-Saxon pennies, discovered by two metal detectorists near Braintree in Essex, has recently been sold at auction for an impressive £325,560. The coins are believed to have been buried in 1066, the year of the historic battle between English and Norman armies for the throne of England.
Experts speculate that the reason these coins were left undiscovered for so long could be due to the unfortunate death of their owner in battle. The auction, held at Noonans Mayfair in London, saw the coins surpassing all expectations by fetching a hammer price of £325,560, well above the estimated value of £180,000.
The hoard was shared between the two finders and the landowner, with the remaining coins being disclaimed and returned to the finders. Notably, 16 coins were acquired by Colchester Museum and Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum under the terms of the 1996 Treasure Act, including two 11th-century Byzantine coins.
The auction showcased 122 of the coins, with the highest price of £24,000 being paid for a rare single specimen from the Hastings mint, which was four times its initial estimate. The atmosphere at the auction was described as euphoric, with bidders eager to acquire a piece of this significant collection.
The discovery of the hoard in 2019 marked a turning point for the two detectorists, who had previously only found copper coins and crotal bells in the field. Using a Minelab CTX 3030 detector, they unearthed the first silver penny, leading to the subsequent discovery of around 140 more coins over two years.
While the exact circumstances surrounding the burial of the coins remain a mystery, the possibility that the owner met his fate in the Battle of Hastings adds a layer of intrigue to this remarkable find. The landowners expressed their delight at the auction results, stating that the proceeds were life-changing for the finders.
