Norway’s Record Viking Hoard Surpasses 5,000 Coins After New Discoveries

A remarkable Viking Age coin hoard in eastern Norway has grown to around 5,200 coins after archaeologists and metal detectorists returned to the site following the summer harvest.

The Mørstad Hoard was first discovered earlier in 2026. Researchers initially believed they had recovered most of the treasure, but fresh searches have revealed hundreds more coins buried deeper in the field.

The Search Was Not Over

The number of recovered coins had reached 4,886 before the summer. Archaeologists then paused the investigation while the field was returned to agricultural use.

After the crops were harvested, metal detectorists Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie returned with farmer and landowner Ole Erik Hørstad. Their renewed search produced more coins, including the coin that pushed the total beyond 5,000.

More Coins Are Still Being Found

The latest count stands at approximately 5,200 coins, although the final number remains unknown.

Recent signals from metal detectors appear to be coming from deeper layers of soil. Archaeologists are now removing some of the overlying material to make it easier to investigate these deeper targets.

A Treasure Buried Nearly 1,000 Years Ago

The coins date mainly to the Viking Age and include both Scandinavian and foreign issues.

Several Norwegian coins were issued during the reign of Harald Hardrada, helping researchers place the burial of the hoard around 1046–1047, near the final decades of the Viking Age.

Coins From Across the North Sea

The hoard contains coins from different parts of Europe, showing how widely silver and currency circulated during the Viking Age.

Some English coins have also attracted attention because several of the moneyers named on them appear to have Scandinavian-sounding names. Researchers are studying the coins to understand more about the movement of people and economic connections across the North Sea.

Why Was the Treasure Buried?

The reason the enormous collection was buried remains unknown.

Archaeologists have not identified a clear building, grave or other feature that explains why so many coins were placed in the field. Whoever buried the treasure apparently never returned to recover it.

A Discovery Still Unfolding

The coins are now being catalogued and studied by specialists at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. Detailed examination of the collection is expected to take at least a year.

Meanwhile, archaeologists and metal detectorists continue to investigate the site. Because coins are still appearing in deeper layers, the final size of Norway’s largest known Viking Age coin hoard has yet to be determined.

Sources

• Arkeonews — “Norway’s Record Viking Hoard Has Passed 5,000 Coins, and More Are Still Emerging” — October 2, 2026.
• Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo — Research and conservation of the Mørstad Viking Age coin hoard.
• Innlandet County Council — Archaeological investigation of the Mørstad Hoard in eastern Norway.
• Science Norway — Reporting on the discovery and continuing investigation of the Mørstad Hoard.