HOARD OF VIKING COINS WORTH AT LEAST £500,000 FOUND DURING POLICE RAIDS

[gash]

A hoard of Viking coins has been confiscated by police investigating an illegal trade in historic treasures that could rewrite British history.

The collection of coins and a silver ingot, dating back to King Alfred the Great's reign of the 9th century, were retrieved at households in Durham County and Lancashire by police.

Believed to be worth at least £500,000, a leading expert has told the MailOnline they could 'add significantly to our understanding of the political history of England in the AD 870s' as they reveal a previously unknown alliance between King Alfred and his contemporary Ceolwulf II, King of Mercia.

Ceolwulf of Mercia was believed by historians to be simply a puppet of the Vikings  - a minor nobleman rather than a proper King.  But the recently discovered coins show the two rulers standing side by side, as allies suggesting a different story.


 
While Alfred became known as a national hero who defeated the Vikings, Ceolwulf was written off as insignificant and disappeared without a trace, with experts now suggesting the Mercia King was later 'airbrushed out of history' by Alfred. If confirmed, the discovery could reshape our view of how England was united and those who made it happen.

Police, who have now handed over the haul to the British Museum, have arrested a number of people on suspicion of dealing in culturally tainted objects and the complex police operation - codenamed Operation Fantail - is said by Durham Police to be in its early stages. They refused to give further detail on the arrests.

Read more : https://www.archaeology-world.com/hoard-of-viking-coins-worth-at-least-500000-found-during-police-raids/?fbclid=IwAR2tnnnbHmBX_PsVMrZiT8sqeu9I9R32Hmxt2Y1vWn89YbwCTcJ0MNrVldQ

[Goldhunter]

Very Nice