Record trove of Viking Age coins found in Norway

Metal detectorists in Norway unearthed a trove of ancient coins dating back to the Viking Age — the largest of its kind ever found in the country. "This is a historic find," said Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Norway's climate and environment minister, in a statement that described its links to the Vikings as "even more spectacular" and added "the whole of Norway deserves to experience" it. The coins were discovered in a field near the Norwegian village of Rena, according to Innlandet County municipal officials. Innlandet County includes a rural area where two private citizens located a smaller collection of 19 silver coins on April 10, triggering the wider archaeological probe that uncovered thousands more. More than 3,150 coins had been recovered from the site when the county shared its latest update, which noted their search for additional treasure was still ongoing. The hoard sheds new light on Norway's economy during a turbulent period in the country's history, remembered for political upheaval , power shifts, Viking expeditions and an influx of wealth from abroad, Innlandet officials said. A silver coin dating back to the Viking Age is among thousands recently unearthed in Norway. Innlandet County Municipality Experts at the University of Oslo's Museum of Cultural History examined the coins and said most of them originated in England and Germany, although some came from Denmark and Norway. …