Metal detectorist Kalle Lappinen found an estimated 4,000-plus silver coins near Sysmä, Finland, on Sept. 3, setting a record as the country’s largest known Viking Age coin hoard. The coins are preliminarily dated to A.D. 1000–1050.
The coins weigh about 10 pounds and were found in two deposits roughly 39 feet apart, alongside silver pieces, a bracelet, a mount and a bead. Lahti Museums archaeologist Esko Tikkala said the owner and reason for hiding them remain unknown. Possibilities include a merchant’s cache or a wealthy local resident hiding valuables amid fears of conflict or attack.
The hoard includes coins from areas now in Sweden, Britain and Germany, as well as dirhams from regions now in Turkey and Iran. Frida Ehrnsten of Finland’s National Museum called the two deposits an unusual “double hoard” and said the find may offer clues about how wealth and silver moved through the region.
