A Viking treasure hoard recently stolen has made headlines again after a missing coin was found for sale in Croydon, London. George Powell and Layton Davies uncovered over 300 silver coins and gold jewelry in a Herefordshire field back in 2015. Unfortunately, their failure to declare the discovery led them to sell the treasures for profit, resulting in imprisonment. Over ten years later, the whereabouts of more than 230 coins are still unknown, sparking ongoing police investigations.
In 2019, Powell and Davies were found guilty of stealing the hoard and concealing their findings, prompting Judge Nicholas Cartright to condemn their actions as theft from the nation. Despite photographic evidence showing the initial haul of over 300 coins, only 72 have been recovered thus far, with authorities suspecting that criminal organizations worldwide may possess the rest. The recent appearance of one of the coins in London has reignited efforts to locate the remaining pieces of the valuable hoard.
Detective Inspector Ben Pearson of the West Mercia Police revealed that Metropolitan Police colleagues had alerted them to a coin linked to the Herefordshire Hoard surfacing in Croydon. Investigations are ongoing to trace the coin’s journey to London, with authorities remaining hopeful about recovering the missing portion of the hoard. Believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin and hidden by Vikings, the hoard also consisted of a Ninth Century gold ring, a crystal pendant, a dragon bracelet, and an ingot.
Following a successful fundraising campaign that amassed £776,250 to bring back the stolen items, the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is preparing to showcase the recovered treasures. The hoard, including the missing pieces, will be displayed in a designated exhibition space at the museum after undergoing a £22m restoration. Damian Etheraads of Hereford Museum expressed a desire for the complete hoard to be reunited at its home in Herefordshire
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