Anglo-Saxon hoard valued at £3.285 million
The largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Thursday, 26, Nov 2009 12:06
By Sarah Garrod
The largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found has been valued at £3.285 million, a committee has reported.
The Treasure Valuation Committee (TVC) said the Staffordshire Anglo-Saxon hoard's value would be split equally between the finder, Terry Herbert, and the landowner, Fred Johnson.
Mr Johnson, Mr Herbert and the two museums which hope to acquire the hoard, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, have all approved the valuation made by the TVC.
Chairman of the TVC, Professor Norman Palmer CBE said: "The task of valuing this hoard required the TVC to analyse a very large amount of information in order to arrive at a fair market price, and I am personally indebted to my fellow members whose energy and expertise made this result possible in so short a time.
"It is of course immensely important that this extraordinary hoard is acquired for public benefit and I know that the two museums are anxious to raise the funding to keep the hoard in the West Midlands as soon as they can."
The fundraising campaign will now begin for the joint acquisition of the two museums. All relevant parties are fully in support of this joint acquisition and for the hoard to be displayed in the West Midlands.
Archaeologists uncovered the hoard in a Lancashire field in September. Around 1,500 pieces were recovered, including weapons, coins and ornate crosses.
In total the hoard adds up to 5kg of gold - three times the amount found at the famous Sutton Hoo ship burial in 1939.
Highlights of the hoard are currently on display in Room 37 at the British Museum.