One of the silver coins in the hands of their finder, moments after being found. Worcestershire City Council/Historic England/Go Detecting (Midlands) Ltd.

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In a classic example of lucky metal detectorists triggering an archaeological investigation, a group of metal detecting enthusiasts in England discovered a rare hoard of early medieval Anglo-Saxon coins in the parish of Bickmarsh, Worcestershire.

Members of Go Detecting (Midlands) Ltd informed relevant authorities, and Worcestershire Archaeology jumped in following an initial investigation. The team conducted a second metal-detector survey, geophysical survey, and then a more targeted archaeological excavation.

The dig revealed two more concentrations of coins, which expanded the excavation area even more. The aptly named the Bickmarsh Hoard consists of 63 coins.…