Silver hoard found in Sysmä, Finland, on September 3, 2026.Couresty Esko Tikkala, Lahti Museums

Amateur Metal Detectorist Finds Finland’s Largest Viking-Age Silver Hoard

by · ARTnews

A hoard of thousands of silver coins was unearthed by an amateur metal detectorist in southern Finland. Experts at Lahti Museums believe it’s the largest Viking-era coin hoard found in the country, Heritage Daily reported.

Kalle Lappinen made the find with a metal detector near Sysmä church village on September 3. Archaeologists have since inspected the site and recovered a trove of almost 10 pounds of silver coins, with individual pieces still to be cleaned, separated, and counted.

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The silver hoard was discovered inside two straw containers nearly 18 inches below the ground and about 40 feet apart. It includes coins, a fragment of silver, a bracelet, a clasp, and a bead. Each object will undergo conservation and analysis to determine the exact age and material composition. It is roughly from Finland’s Late Iron Age, which includes the Viking Age.

It is unclear who owned it, why the treasure was buried, and if the two vessels were simultaneously or separately buried.

Researchers expect to learn more about how valuables were concealed due to the survival of the straw containers. The coins and remnants could also reveal trade connections and wealth patterns from the period.

The last time a hoard of this size was discovered was in Nousiainen in 1895. Just shy of five pounds, it contained some 1,700 coins and other objects.