Norwegian Boys Unearth Rare 600-Year-Old Silver Coins Under Church

In the year 1964, a pair of young boys from Norway embarked on an unexpected treasure hunting adventure in their local region. Their quest led them to the vicinity of a nearby church, where they ventured underneath the building and stumbled upon a remarkable discovery buried within the earth - a collection of valuable silver coins.

A Long-Kept Secret

Jan Gunnar Fugelsnes recollects that he and his brother, at the time of their finding, did not fully comprehend the significance of their unearthing. Nevertheless, recognizing the value of their discovery, the boys carefully gathered the coins and preserved them in a secure box, keeping their finding a secret for decades.

A Storied Unveiling

It was not until sixty years later that the archaeologists were granted their first glimpse of the remarkable coins, following a disclosure made by Fugelsnes to the Møre and Romsdal County Municipality. The coins were located at the Edøy church, where the initial unearthing had taken place.

Remarkable Rarity

An unprecedented revelation followed, as the set of 14 silver coins was identified as an incredibly rare find, dating back 600 years. Archaeologist Carl Fredrik Wahr-Hansen Vemmestad shed light on the historic significance of the discovery, emphasizing the exceptional rarity of the coins, with most of them originating from the 1300s to 1350s, alongside one coin dating as late as between 1450 and 1481.

Distinctive Markings

The coins were further distinguished by the presence of crown markings, a feature that set them apart as uniquely precious artifacts. Such a discovery in central Norway was deemed exceptionally scarce, hinting at the possibility of their association with a burial mound situated beneath the Edøy church during the Middle Ages.

Revealing the Past

Fugelsnes and his brother not only found the remarkable coins but also came across a trove of additional artifacts, including nine needles, three metal fittings, and an amber pearl, all concealed beneath the church. Research later revealed that the beads were part of a prayer wreath, while the 700-year-old needles were an integral component of the deceased’s attire.

A Generous Contribution

Following the disclosure of their find, 67-year-old Fugelsnes generously entrusted the rare coins to the care of archaeologists, who subsequently forwarded the artifacts to a museum for comprehensive analysis, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

A Historic Locale

The Edøya, an island located in Møre and Romsdal county, stands as the historic site where this extraordinary treasure was unearthed, approximately 250 miles northwest of Oslo.