1,000 Year Old Viking Coins Found by Amateur Metal Hunters in Denmark

By: Theodore Tong

Three amateur metal hunters have accidentally contributed to revealing Denmark’s history, discovering two sets of Viking treasures from 1,000 years ago. While on vacation in Hobro, North Denmark, in 2022 Jane Foged-Mønster, Mette Norre Bækgaard, and Louise Stahlschmidt discovered the Viking riches.

The two hoards were buried about 50 meters apart and included many Danish, German, and Arabic coins.

Archeologist Torben Trier Christiansen says the treasures were buried around the same time the Vikings stopped living in the area. He made the hypothesis that the local people forced the king out of his castle around 987 CE. Before leaving the area, he may have buried the jewelry.

The hoards also contained silver jewelry that was cut up. According to Kidsnews, “Archeologists from Nordjyske Museums think it [may have been] stolen from the Vikings [who] later chopped it up and used the silver pieces as a means of payment. This was either due to the scarcity of coins or the convenience of using small silver fragments for transactions.”

The silver artifacts found in North Denmark will be displayed at the Aalborg Historical Museum starting at July 1st, 2023, in Denmark.