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A metal detectorist in West Norfolk , England , has unearth the largest Anglo - Saxon gem hoard ever discover : a bountifulness of 131 coin and four golden objects . Most of the items were found over the course of six years by a single detectorist , who wishes to rest anonymous , accord to theBritish Museum .
Ten of the coins were dug up by former - police force officer David Cockle , also using a metal detector , theEvening Standardreported . However , Cockle keep his discovery secret and then illegally sold the coin for 15,000 British Irish pound ( about $ 20,000 ) , fit in toBBC News . When the authority discovered his thievery in 2017 , he was charge with convert reprehensible place and sentenced to 16 months in prison for " pure greed , " presiding Judge Rupert Overbury said at the sentencing . Cockle was also dismiss from the police force . Of the 10 coin he trade , eight have been recovered .
A number of gold coins and objects from the Norfolk hoard
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The absolute majority of the coins are Frankish tremisses , low coin from the sixth hundred that normally contain 85 % to 95 % gold , according toCoinWeek . Nine of the coins are solidi , larger coin from Byzantine currentness that carried three time the value of a tremissis . The treasure also includes a pendent , a gold bar and two other objects that experts suspect were part of magnanimous pieces of jewelry , accord to theBritish Museum . It was inter sometime around 600 A.D. , before the union of England , for unclear reasons .
Previously , England ’s largest Anglo - Saxon coin hoarded wealth included 101 coin . That trove was chance on in a bag in 1828 at Crondall in Hampshire , ARTnewsreported . However , experts suspect that this haul originally may have been larger , as the purse appeared to have been previously disturbed at the meter of its recovery . Other treasure from East Anglia , the neighborhood of England where the Norfolk hoard was discovered , includes the notable Sutton Hoo burial ship , which contained a handbag of 37 gold coins and was the issue of a recent Netflix movie .
These four golden objects were also found with the hoard.
The Norfolk medical examiner is presently inquire the West Norfolk gem to set whether it belong to the British crown under the 1996 Treasure Act , which requires that all treasure be reported to the local coroner within 14 days of discovery , consort toThe Guardian . While still unofficial , it seems probable that the hoard will outfit the bill ; the Treasure Act defines " treasure " as a aggregation of metal objects or coin that are at least 300 years sure-enough and a minimum of 10 % gold or flatware by weightiness , according toPortable Antiquities Scheme , a joint program of the British Museum and the Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum of Wales . If the British Monarchy claim the find , it may be placed in the Norwich Castle Museum ( with livelihood from the British Museum ) for the world ’s benefit .
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" This is a tremendously important find , " Gareth Williams , curator of former medieval coin at the British Museum , said in a command . " It must be see alongside other late finds from East Anglia and elsewhere , and will help to transform our reason of the economy of early Anglo - Saxon England . "
Originally write on Live Science .
