Stolen Viking treasure bought and returned home

In 2015, detectorists George Powell and Layton Davies found a hoard of around 300 Saxon coins, jewellery and other valuables, probably deposited by the Vikings in the 10th century, in a field near Leominster. If they had reported the finds, they could have received compensation for the full value of the hoard. Instead, the collection was illegally sold off to dealers. Almost immediately after their arrest, an intensive search was launched for the remaining artifacts. For the last four months, negotiations have been underway to buy them back.

After the discovery, the black detectorists did not inform either the landowner or the authorities. They did, however, contact dealers to find out the value of some of the items. A month later, they contacted the National Museum of Wales, to whom they declared only a single coin and three pieces of jewellery. A later investigation found 31 of the remaining coins, although a photograph on Davies' mobile phone - oursubsequently deleted but still revealed by police - show a much larger and intact hoard in a freshly dug hole.

Both detectorists were convicted of theft and concealing the find in 2019, with thirty-eight-year-old Powell "serving" 10 years and fifty-one-year-old Layton eight-and-a-half years. Along with them, dealers Simon Wicks and Paul Wells were sentenced to five years for concealing the treasure. Experts said they were all involved in irreversible and significant damage resulting in the loss of valuable information: "As a direct result of these actions, the exact sequence of events surrounding the storage or the relationship between the individual artefacts and the treasure may never be known," said forensic experts.

The next phase of the investigation, which returned the Herefordshire Treasure to its home, has now concluded: "The four-month effort to buy back the recovered objects was successful. A total of £776,250 has been paid out. The event ended last Saturday," Herefordshire County Council said. However, most of the treasure, worth an estimated between £3m and £12m, is still missing. The collection rescued so far includes a 9th century gold ring, a dragon head bracelet, a silver ingot and a 6th century crystal pendant.

The purchase was financed by the National Art Fund and the National Heritage Fund: "It is fitting that the treasure should come home to the place where it was deposited 1,100 years ago," said Simon Thurley, chairman of the Heritage Lottery Fund. "The story of this extraordinary treasure cannot fail to fascinate," said Jenny Waldman of the Art Fund. "Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is the best possible place to share these objects with as many people as possible," she added.

The treasure will initially be housed in the Hereford Museum Resource and Learning Center, and will later move to the museum's upcoming new building.

Roman Nemec

Sources: bbc.com, herefordshire.gov.uk

A 6th century crystal pendant

A collection of rescued artefacts

Most of the estimated 300 coins are still missing

Gold ring