Staffordshire Hoard Valued at £3.3 Million, Museums Fundraise to Acquire Anglo‑Saxon Treasure

In July 2009 a local farmer, Terry Herbert, used a metal detector on a field in Staffordshire, England and uncovered the largest Anglo‑Saxon gold and silver treasure ever found, now known as the Staffordshire Hoard. The hoard contains over 1,500 items, including about 5 kg of gold and 1.3 kg of silver, dating to the 7th–8th centuries. In November 2009 an independent Treasure Valuation Committee assessed its market value at roughly £3.3 million (about 116 billion VND). Under UK treasure‑trove law the finder and landowner share any proceeds if a museum purchases the find. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery subsequently launched a joint fundraising campaign to buy the hoard for public display in the West Midlands. The artifacts are now housed at the British Museum and regional museums, providing crucial material for the study of early medieval England.