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The largest-ever hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold has been unearthed in a farmer’s field in Staffordshire.
The staggering discovery of more than 1,500 items was made by jobless treasure hunter Terry Herbert, using a battered 14-year-old metal detector.
Now he and the unidentified land owner are set to earn themselves a massive reward for the priceless trove which experts today said would rewrite centuries of British history.
The find, dubbed the Staffordshire Hoard, was being declared treasure trove at a coroner’s court hearing in Cannock today.
Click here to see amazing pictures of the Anglo-Saxon treasures.
Experts predict the discovery, found at un undisclosed site near Burntwood, will redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England.
The find is said to be bigger than that at Sutton Hoo and as important as finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels, say experts.
Today 55-year-old Mr Herbert, of Scott Way, Burntwood said: “I never expected to find something like this and I couldn’t sleep after finding the treasure.
“Imagine you’re at home and somebody keeps putting money through your letterbox – that is what it was like.
“I was going to bed and in my sleep I was seeing gold items. As soon as I closed my eyes I saw gold patterns. I didn’t think it was ever going to end.”
Mr Herbert, a member of Bloxwich Research and Metal Detecting Club, came across the hoard in July.
The collection is unparalleled in size and may have belonged to Saxon royalty, containing around 5kg of gold and 2.5kg of silver. It may take more than a year to value the collection and, given its scale, the financial worth of the hoard cannot be estimated but its unique nature will probably render it priceless.
The hoard is being held in secure storage at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, but a selection of items are to be displayed at the museum from today until October 13
HERE
The staggering discovery of more than 1,500 items was made by jobless treasure hunter Terry Herbert, using a battered 14-year-old metal detector.
Now he and the unidentified land owner are set to earn themselves a massive reward for the priceless trove which experts today said would rewrite centuries of British history.
The find, dubbed the Staffordshire Hoard, was being declared treasure trove at a coroner’s court hearing in Cannock today.
Click here to see amazing pictures of the Anglo-Saxon treasures.
Experts predict the discovery, found at un undisclosed site near Burntwood, will redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England.
The find is said to be bigger than that at Sutton Hoo and as important as finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels, say experts.
Today 55-year-old Mr Herbert, of Scott Way, Burntwood said: “I never expected to find something like this and I couldn’t sleep after finding the treasure.
“Imagine you’re at home and somebody keeps putting money through your letterbox – that is what it was like.
“I was going to bed and in my sleep I was seeing gold items. As soon as I closed my eyes I saw gold patterns. I didn’t think it was ever going to end.”
Mr Herbert, a member of Bloxwich Research and Metal Detecting Club, came across the hoard in July.
The collection is unparalleled in size and may have belonged to Saxon royalty, containing around 5kg of gold and 2.5kg of silver. It may take more than a year to value the collection and, given its scale, the financial worth of the hoard cannot be estimated but its unique nature will probably render it priceless.
The hoard is being held in secure storage at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, but a selection of items are to be displayed at the museum from today until October 13
HERE
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