Archaeologists Discover 1,000-Year-Old Anglo-Saxon Coin in Scotland

<p>Archaeologists in Scotland have uncovered an Anglo-Saxon coin dating back 1,000 years, minted under King Ethelred II, known as "the Unready." The coin was found during an excavation in Nesting, a coastal community in Scotland's eastern Shetland Islands, as reported by Jam Press.</p><p>The coin has a thick, greenish-brown patina covering its surface, although some of the original markings remain visible. The excavation aimed to investigate prehistoric structures threatened by coastal erosion, according to Archaeology Shetland.</p><p>The coin was minted between 991 and 997 A.D. and depicts King Ethelred the Unready, who ruled England from 978 to 1013 A.D. Ethelred is noted for his unsuccessful attempts to repel Viking invasions and was eventually displaced by Danish king Swein Forkbeard. He regained the throne in 1014 and ruled until his death in 1016, making him the longest-reigning Anglo-Saxon monarch.</p><p>Elinor Graham, an archaeologist from the University of Aberdeen, participated in the excavation while on vacation in Shetland. "This is exactly how I wanted to spend my holiday," Graham said, adding that the writing on the coin is still sharp and that it is extremely rare, possibly unique in this context.</p><p>The discovery may provide insights into ancient trade routes between Viking-controlled Shetland and Anglo-Saxon England, although researchers have not ruled out the possibility that the coin was acquired during a Norse raid. Graham noted that another Anglo-Saxon coin had previously been found at Old Scatness, an archaeological site in southern Shetland, but this latest find is the northernmost of its kind.</p><p>Scotland's Treasure Trove Unit will determine whether the artifact should be offered to a museum. Graham expressed hope that the coin will eventually be added to the collections at the Shetland Museum and Archives, suggesting that the area may have been home to a "well-connected cosmopolitan community" with trading links to Anglo-Saxon England.</p><p>Graham remarked, "It's an area with a huge amount of history through the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the early medieval period and into the Viking Norse period." The ancient coin is among many that have been discovered across the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, archaeologists found a nearly 1,750-year-old Roman coin during a railway construction project in England, and in Scotland, a metal detectorist discovered a 900-year-old coin believed to be the oldest ever minted in the country.</p>