Massive medieval treasure discovered in Scotland

Explorers have found around 8,400 medieval (18th to 14th century) silver coins in a field in southwest Scotland. It is estimated that this may be one of the largest coin hoards ever discovered in the country. Scottish government spokesman Ken McNab told Live Science that many of the coins are “Edwardian coins,” made in honor of King Edward I, who ruled England from 1272 to 1307. A rare feat.

According to McNab, “this is the largest hoard of medieval coins found in Scotland since the 19th century”. Found and unearthed in 2021, the hoard was handed over to the Treasures Unit of the National Museums of Scotland, the body responsible for overseeing such discoveries. Now, the next step will be to identify, weigh, measure and photograph each coin found, a lengthy process for museum archaeologists, according to McNab.

In 1296, King Edward I’s armies were responsible for the conquest of Scotland, at the time Scotland and England were independent kingdoms and often fought each other for control of their shared border. During his rule, Edward I introduced distinctive silver coins with his face on one side and a Christian cross on the other.

Medieval treasure in Scotland

The design has influenced English coinage for hundreds of years and today silver pennies from the reigns of Edward I and his son Edward II are highly prized by collectors. In addition to the archaeological value, the unearthed treasure is believed to be worth hundreds of dollars. According to Scottish newspaper the Daily Record, any artefacts of archaeological significance, whether made of precious metals or not, technically belong to the Scottish government and must be reported to the authorities.

According to McNab, around 12,263 artifacts were recorded by the Scottish Treasures Unit in 2022, including 8,407 silver coins from the Dunscore hoard, the region where the coins were found.

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Source: Olhar Digital