Norwich Castle acquires largest Anglo-Saxon gold coin hoard
The museum has been able to acquire the hoard with funding by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund and The Wolfson Foundation. The collection is believed to most contain Frankish tremisses which were minted in the Merovingian Frankish kingdoms that occupied modern-day France, Germany, Switzerland and the Low Countries.They are said to be the first coins made and used in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and predate the first gold coinage made in Anglo-Saxon England. The find is one of only eight hoards of this type of coin known from Europe and the third in the United Kingdom.
When the coins were declared as treasure by a coroner's court in November 2021, Norwich Castle said it hoped to be able to acquire the hoard. At the time of their discovery, one finder notified the authorities whereas the other tried to sell a number of coins and was jailed for 16 months. Prior to their discovery, the largest hoard of coins from the same period was a purse of 101 coins discovered in Crondall, Hampshire, in 1828. Another purse found that contained 37 coins was discovered at the famous ship burial site in Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, which was excavated in 1939.
Giving the coins to the museum will make sure they remain intact and accessible to researchers and visitors. Dr Tim Pestell, senior curator of archaeology at the castle, said: "This internationally significant find reflects the wealth and continental connections enjoyed by the early Kingdom of East Anglia."Study of the hoard and its find spot has the potential to unlock our understanding of early trade and exchange systems and the importance of west Norfolk to East Anglia's ruling kings in the 7th Century." The hoard going on display marks the reopening of Norwich Castle's Anglo-Saxon and Viking Gallery which has been closed for several years while work to transform the castle's Norman Keep has been under way.
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Spectator
a day ago
- Spectator
23 August 2025
Of all the mistakes we make in defence, few are more embarrassing than revoking. Everyone's done it: a sudden brain blip convinces us we're out of the suit that's been led, and we discard from another. If only we were allowed to pick up the card, apologise and play on. But that never happens, not in a tournament. Declarer knows his rights; he smells blood. He calls the director. The revoke card is now a penalty card. It must lie face-up, like a naughty schoolchild separated from his friends, to be played at the first opportunity – even if it gives declarer the contract. There's no mercy, and never any upside. At least, I thought there wasn't, until I got this text from my friend Sebastian Atisen: 'Have you ever gained three tricks for YOUR side after making a revoke?' Surely not! But yes – the hand comes from a recent European pairs championship. Sebastian (East) led a spade. West won with the ♠K and returned the ♦J. Declarer played the ♦A, and Sebastian followed with a deceptive ♦Q. Next declarer played a spade to the ♠Q, a club to dummy's ♣K, and the ♠A. In a mad moment, West discarded the ♦2. 'No more spades?' asked Sebastian. Too late: the director was called, and the ♦2 became an exposed card. As it happens, declarer had the rest of the tricks. But he couldn't be sure, and the exposed 2♦ looked so enticing. Time to take advantage. East's ♦Q was surely a singleton, so West must have started with ♦KJ10962. Declarer confidently played the ♦8. West (perforce) played the ♦2. Sebastian won with the ♦K and cashed two more spades!
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Tourist visits American supermarket and experiences 8 major culture shocks
A Balkan woman opened up about her experience in America while visiting supermarkets - she could not get over the portion sizes or difference in products sold. Her honest opinions have divided people A tourist visiting America has divided opinion after being left gobsmacked by a number of culture shocks while shopping in a US supermarket. You may not realise just how used to your native country you are until you go on a long holida y or move abroad and start missing things from back home. It's no secret that American stores are renowned for having significantly larger portions, but one woman, named Lucija, who is from the Balkans, was shocked by a number of things she has never seen while shopping before. Sharing a video online, Lucija created quite a stir with her post, which has raked in over 6.9million views on TikTok. She listed "things in American supermarkets that would put Europeans into coma". Bread Lucija was shocked to learn was 'normal' bread looks like in US supermarkets as she found endless rows of burger buns. Typically, American families buy bread which lasts a longer time, rather than a fresh loaf like in many European stores. The bread sold in the US tends to have higher levels of added sugar, preservatives, and dough conditioners, particularly when compared to bread sold in the UK. These ingredients are used to extend shelf life and enhance sweetness. Our sister site, Daily Express, previously reported that in an investigation is was discovered that a standard-sized loaf of Warburtons contains 17g of sugar, whereas the same-sized loaf of Wonder bread packs a staggering 50g of sugar. "USA, the land of sugar and additives," commented one individual on the post. "American bread is anything but normal," wrote another. Size of portions Lucija could not get over how big a bag of popcorn is in supermarkets - or the unique flavours like cheddar cheese flavoured popcorn. "Cheddar cheese popcorn... I feel sick," commented one individual. She was also gobsmacked by a "lifetime supply" of Vaseline in a giant tub that is bigger than her hand. One American pointed out: "US is a big country everything is far each other unless you live in the city. They don't like to go out every time to go to the store. They like to store food that last. Weeks or months that's why they sell it big portion." Another agreed and shared: "The root cultural difference is that America is too damn big. for most people, grocery store is too far away. European countries smaller, grocery stores are closer. Europeans more likely (or more capable of) going grocery multiple times/week. Americans want to go once a week or less." "When people buy food to last a week, not a singular meal," said another. One other insisted: "Oh come on Balkan families would be excited to use products with that size." Cookie-flavoured bath products Lucija was shocked after she spotted the Dove Crumbl cookie flavoured bath and shower products she spotted in supermarkets. "I have no words for this one," she said. Earlier this year the Crumbl company, which has become one of the fastest selling dessert chains in the US, collaborated with Dove to roll out dessert-scented body washes, hand washes, and body scrubs. The three scents are Confetti Cake, Lemon Glaze, and Strawberry Crumb Cake. "What/s wrong with the Dove one? It's just a selection of scents," added another. "The Dove is the greatest of all time, I want that in Europe," insisted another. Bright orange Fanta "ORANGE Fanta," wrote Lucija in her baffled post. There's nothing like tucking into a cold Fanta on a warm day, but in many European countries, the colour of the treat looks a lot different to other continents. While in the UK and other European countries, it looks light a deep yellow or light orange, in the US it is a bright and bold orange colour. The colour varies because of the ingredients used and regulations. One US-based Redditor shared their experience drinking the fizzy beverage in Europe, explaining the colour difference was due to different ingredients and varying levels of sugar content. "Fanta in Italy has no dyes or artificial flavours," they wrote, alongside a photo of the pale yellow drink They added: "Slightly less sugary and a bit more tangy. It's the same soda only by name." One other commented: "You're so right about everything but I will not accept Fanta slander. Fanta in Europe is just sparkling orange juice." Another shared: "I'm from the Maldives and the Fanta here has the same neon orange colon, isn't it supposed to be like that?" "I am from an African country and orange Fanta is so nice but once you move to a European country their Fanta is just disgusting," another insisted. Skittles drinks Lucija was shocked to see what she has dubbed "radioactive soda" after she found Skittles drinks on the shelves of US supermarkets. She found a purple, red and green version of the beverage. Pre-made hard boiled eggs Lucija could not believe her eyes as she saw 12 hard boiled eggs in a sealed plastic, grab-and-go bag. "Just ew," she wrote. "Hard boiled eggs? Can't you just boil them by yourself?" commented one confused individual. Another shocked person said: "HARD BOILED EGGS IN A BAG!? I wonder how it smells when you open that hard boiled bag."
Wales Online
14-08-2025
- Wales Online
People heard squeaking near a stream and the answer was impossibly cute
People heard squeaking near a stream and the answer was impossibly cute Idris weighed less than a can of pop, could not open his eyes, and is the smallest otter ever rescued by the UK Wild Otter Trust Idris the tiny otter (Image: UK Wild Otter Trust) A tiny otter weighing less than a can of pop has survived against the odds after members of the public in a Welsh community heard him crying near a roadside. The Eurasian otter cub, weighing just 340g, was found near Bala in Gwynedd. People heard his high-pitched squeaks near a small stream with his mother nowhere to be found. It's thought she is likely to have been killed on a nearby road. At under seven weeks old the otter's eyes were still closed making his chances of survival without his mother extremely slim. Locals who found the otter made contact with the UK Wild Otter Trust and officers from the charity went to the scene to rescue him. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . For the next few days Idris, as he has been named, was kept alive on milk until he was strong enough to make the journey to the charity's care. Under expert hands Idris was slowly weaned onto fish before being transferred to the charity's Specialist Otter Rehabilitation Centre in North Devon. There he met two young otters close to his age. One of them had wandered into the flamingo habitat at Colchester Zoo although nobody knows quite how he got there. 'These cases are incredibly rare,' said Dave Webb, founder and CEO of the UK Wild Otter Trust, which is run entirely by volunteers. "For an otter cub so young and so underweight to survive without its mother is remarkable. Idris has shown unbelievable strength and now he has the best chance of living wild again. Article continues below "Idris is the smallest cub we've rescued who has managed to survive so for all of us at the centre it's a real victory to see him out of the woods and thriving.' Over the coming months Idris will undergo a long rehabilitation process, the charity added. Idris the otter with his new friend, a teddy bear (Image: UK Wild Otter Trust) The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is the only otter species native to the UK. It has been in the UK for millions of years and is a member of the Mustelid family, which also includes the badger, mink, weasels, stoats, martens, and polecats. They are found as far west as Ireland, as far east as China, as far south as North Africa, and as far north as the Arctic Circle. According to the RSPCA if baby otters have their eyes closed it's because they are too young to go above ground on their own. According to the UK Wild Otter Trust: "Otters are protected by law. It is illegal to hunt them, trap them or disturb them. The otter receives the highest protection possible as a European protected species – and its holts are protected too. Article continues below "Unfortunately, even though the species has made a distinct comeback and is now found often in our rivers, wild otters rarely live beyond four years of age. The oldest recorded otter reached around 19 years of age but this is exceptional. "Reports now state that otters inhabit every county in the UK – great news for the otter – but our river systems still require extensive habitat management to restore them to a healthy level that can sustain fish stocks and wildlife."
