Staffordshire hoard

Comprising over 1,500 pieces of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver, the Hoard is the most valuable Treasure ever found on British soil. Mostly military in nature, it is by far the largest find of Anglo-Saxon gold ever recorded, with over 5kg of gold and 1.3kg of silver. The craftsmanship and beauty of the pieces indicate possible royal ownership, and promise to transform our understanding of the lives of the Anglo-Saxon people, and the role the region then known as Mercia played in history. The purchase price was raised three weeks ahead of schedule and included an NHMF grant, the Art Fund grant (with assistance from the Wolfson Foundation), £900,000 raised from the public appeal (including £640,000 from Art Fund members and supporters) and £600,000 from trusts and foundations (including £520,000 raised through the Art Fund). 87 items from the Hoard are on loan to the National Geographic Museum, Washington DC from mid-October 2011 to early March 2012.

Provenance

Discovered by a metal detectorist in July 2009 and subsequently excavated by Birmingham University Archaeology Unit and Staffordshire County Council. Declared Treasure in 2009.