In 2009, a metal detectorist searching an ordinary field in England came across a huge collection of Anglo-Saxon gold, silver and jewellery worth more than £3 million. The trove of at least 1,350 items, including five kilograms of gold and a smaller amount of silver, was found in July by 55 year old Terry Herbert with a metal detector near his home in Burntwood, central England. He was unemployed when he made the stunning discovery.
The initial recovery produced 244 bags of finds and shed light on treasure collection unlike anything previously found in Britain. The discovery was made in July 2009 by unemployed Terry Herbert near Hammerwich in Staffordshire. The study The Staffordshire (Ogley Hay) hoard: recovery of a treasure, published in Antiquity in 2011 by Leahy, Bland, Hooke, Jones and Okasha, records the first days of the find. The hoard was discovered by Terry Herbert between 5th and 10th July 2009 using metal detectors in the arable lands of south Staffordshire. Soon after the find, Terry Herbert contacted Duncan Slarke, Finds Liaison Officer of Staffordshire. Slarke met Terry Herbert at his house and made a provisional inventory of 244 bags of items. It led to the largest Anglo-Saxon archaeological find of all time.
