Funds Needed To Keep UK's largest collection of Saxon coins found in Bucks

6 November 2016, 11:18 | Updated: 6 November 2016, 11:20

Funds Needed To Keep UK's largest collection of Saxon coins found in Bucks.

More than 5,000 were discovered in 2014 and they've been valued at around 1.35 million pounds.

Buckingham County Museum has been given nearly all the money to buy them in grants - but if they can't raise the rest - the landowner could end up selling them on the open market.

After study, identifying over 60 different mints from all over England, the hoard was valued by independent assessors and a reward of £1.35m set for payment to the landowner and detectorist. After a 6 month campaign the County Museum has raised the huge majority of this. 

Subject to our raising the full balance required £50,000 has been given in local, charity and online donations, and the Museum has now been pledged £1,000,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, £20k by the HeadleyTrust and £250,000 from the Art Fund
Sir Peter Luff, Chair of NHMF, said: “The name "Canute" is widely known but there is much to learn about our history when he was king. This once buried treasure has the potential to unearth real insights into this period. That is what makes the Lenborough Hoard so valuable. Quite simply, we at the National Heritage Memorial Fund had to help in raising the funds to save it.”
To finish the job £200k is still needed towards the reward money and to allow for its display in a new gallery that will be dedicated to the Saxon period in Bucks. 


Richard de Peyer, Director of the County Museum said “ Without the accession of Cnut the Great as King of the whole of England in 1016 the story of our island would have been very different. The funding pledges we have had make this a story that the museum can now tell with conviction. Funds from the public and from national grant sources have brought the purchase of 4000 coins from Cnut’s reign and 1000 more from his ‘Unready’ predecessor Aethelred within striking distance !”

200 coins from the hoard of over 5000 will be on display at the Museum from November 19th to help draw attention to the campaign.
Buckinghamshire County Museum has been awarded £1million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) , £250,000 from The Art Fund and £20k from the Headley Trust to help purchase a rare collection of Saxon coins - the largest be discovered in the UK.
The money from NHMF and The Art Fund launches the Museum’s final appeal for £1.5m to secure and display this unique piece of our national heritage. So far, fundraising brings together English, Norwegian and Danish interests in a cultural coalition across the North Sea.