Being a detectorist, I’ve always got time for a good hoard story… and the Silverdale Hoard really is one of the greatest ever found in Britain.
Discovered near Silverdale in Lancashire in September 2011, it’s a breathtaking collection of more than 200 pieces of silver — coins, arm rings, bracelets, and fragments of jewellery — all buried together in and under a small lead container just 16 inches below the surface.
The Find
The finder, using nothing more than a metal detector and a good deal of patience, uncovered a snapshot of England during one of its most turbulent times… the late 9th century. Back then, England wasn’t a united kingdom.
Instead, it was a patchwork of rival realms, caught between the growing might of the Anglo Saxons and the fierce independence of the Viking settlers.
Experts date the hoard to around AD 900, when northern England formed part of the Danelaw — the area under Viking rule.
The mix of objects inside tells its own story… Anglo Saxon coins stamped with royal names, Viking style arm rings, silver ingots, and bullion fragments all showing a society where cultures met and mingled through both trade and conflict.
The Unknown Viking King
Among the most remarkable finds is a coin inscribed with the name “Airdeconut”, believed to represent a previously unknown Viking ruler — possibly a Norse version of Harthacnut.
His name appears nowhere in written records, meaning this hoard didn’t just add treasure… it added an entirely new chapter to Viking history.
Another curious piece is a silver plated coin, originally made of base metal, designed to look more valuable than it really was. It’s a fascinating insight into the blend of craftsmanship, deception and trade that defined life at the time.
The hoard’s lead container also survived — a rare and telling detail. Its presence suggests that the treasure was deliberately hidden, perhaps during a time of unrest when its owner planned to return… but never did.
For more than a thousand years, it lay untouched, a silent reminder of a world long gone.
Value
Officially valued at £110,000 in 2013, the hoard was acquired by the Lancashire County Museum Service, ensuring it stayed in the region rather than being claimed by a national collection.
It now rests in Lancaster City Museum, where visitors can stand face to face with this remarkable link to the Viking Age.
The Silverdale Hoard captures everything that makes metal detecting so special… the thrill of discovery, the connection to the past, and the humbling reminder that beneath even the most ordinary field, history still waits to be found.
