The largest Viking Age coin hoard in Norwegian history has been found in a field near Rena in Østerdalen. A total of 2,970 silver coins have been discovered so far, with the search is still ongoing.

It is now clear that this is a coin hoard without parallel in a Norwegian context. Archaeologists from Innlandet County Authority and detectorists are working together to investigate the find location in a field near Rena, in close dialogue with the Museum of Cultural History and the Directorate for Cultural Heritage.

“This is a historic discovery. The fact that it is also from the Viking Age makes it even more spectacular. It would not have been possible without the excellent work of Innlandet County Authority, and especially the private metal detectorists. This is a discovery that all of Norway deserves to experience,” says Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen in a press release from Innlandet County Authority.

The find provides a rare insight into economy and connections in Norway during a period marked by major political changes.

Coins from England and Germany

Coin experts at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo have examined some of the coins and report that most of them are English and German, with some Danish and Norwegian coins as well. Among them are coins minted under Knut the Great, Æthelred II, Otto III, and Harald Hardrada.

“The coin hoard includes coins from the 980s to the 1040s. Foreign coinage dominates the circulation of money in Norway up until Harald Hardrada (1046–1066) established a national coinage,” explains Professor Svein Gullbekk.

During Harald’s reign, the king’s own coins gradually replaced most of the foreign currencies in circulation.

“The hoard was deposited right at the beginning of this development,” says Gullbekk.

Guarding the site

Investigations are still ongoing, and archaeologists are now working to gain an overview of the extent and context of the find. For the sake of securing the cultural monument, the find location is guarded, and access to the area is restricted. Finds of this type are automatically protected under the Cultural Heritage Act of Norway.

“It is absolutely fantastic that the largest Viking Age coin hoard in Norwegian history has been found here in Innlandet County,” says the chair of the main committee for culture in Innlandet County Authority, Tom Svellet, who pays tribute to those who discovered the hoard.

The Director General of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, Hanna Geiran, is also thrilled by the news.

“I could hardly believe my ears when I heard about the find. This is both a national and an international event, and few things capture people’s imagination as much as the Viking Age in Norway,” she says.

Wealth from iron production

The find is causing enormous excitement among archaeologists.

“This is a truly unique discovery of the kind one might only experience once in an entire career. To be present when something like this comes to light is simply a great experience, both professionally and personally,” says archaeologist and senior adviser at Innlandet County Authority, May-Tove Smiseth.

Archaeologist Jostein Bergstøl from the Museum of Cultural History is now preparing the further archaeological excavation of the field where the silver coins were found. He has a clear idea of why the Viking hoard appeared here in particular.

“From the 900s until the late 1200s there was an enormous iron production in this area. Ore was extracted from the bogs, and the processed iron was exported to Europe,” says Bergstøl.

He believes the coin hoard represents accumulated capital originating from this activity. During earlier excavations, the Museum of Cultural History has uncovered evidence that iron extraction took place on an industrial scale in these very areas.

Found with a metal detector

It all started when the two detectorists, Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie, found 19 silver coins on Friday 10 April. Suspecting that they had located a hoard, they stopped searching and notified the archaeologists at Innlandet County Authority.

“What makes this even more gratifying is the way the find has been handled. Sætre and Sørlie immediately got in touch and have done everything by the book, in full accordance with the Directorate for Cultural Heritage’s guidelines. They have been highly cooperative and have actively contributed to securing and documenting the find in the best possible way,” says Smiseth.

She adds that both of them have taken courses run by the county authority for detectorists, and that such cooperation is absolutely crucial if we are to safeguard our cultural heritage.

“This is an exemplary case of how it should be done,” Smiseth concludes.