Stunning coin hoards from Dersingham, Fincham, Holme and Sedgeford on display at Lynn Museum

A selection of stunning archaeological hoards discovered in West Norfolk will be displayed at Lynn Museum.

A significant number of objects will be available to view for the first time.

Finds include a group of Bronze Age artefacts from the beach at Holme-next-the-Sea found close to the site of the remarkably preserved timber monument known as Seahenge.

Also going on display for the first time are some very rare early coins from Fincham.

West Norfolk is particularly rich in hoards, making this exhibition a perfect opportunity to discover more about the theories behind these spectacular discoveries.

One of the star exhibits is the Sedgeford Hoard – a collection of 32 gold coins, found in August 2003 during an archaeological dig.

What’s truly fascinating about these coins is that 20 were discovered inside a cow bone. The coins may have been placed inside the bone and buried as an offering to the gods.

Or they may have been hidden in the cow bone, and buried, to be retrieved in the future. The exact reason behind the hoard’s burial.

The Fincham hoard dates back to the Anglo-Saxon and Viking period, around 1,300 years ago. Struck about 150 miles away in Frisia, modern-day Holland, these small silver coins known as sceattas (pronounced shatters) are the earliest form of penny and circulated in England from around 710-750AD.

The coins are in good condition, suggesting they hadn’t been in circulation long before they were hidden.

The exhibition also includes the Dersingham hoard, a large collection of silver shillings found in a silver cup.

Discovered in July 1984, this hoard was likely buried in 1643 when Lynn was under siege, during the English Civil War.

Chair of the Lynn and West Norfolk Area Museums Committee Elizabeth Nockolds said: “It’s very good to have such a great range of archaeological finds in our town museum for visitors to enjoy.”

Margaret Dewsbury, of Norfolk County Council, added: “I am thrilled that this collection of hoards will be on display.

“It will be a fascinating exhibition that will allow the community to view and learn about these objects, many of which have never been displayed to the public before.”

Lynn Museum curator Oliver Bone added: “This has been a wonderful opportunity to bring together some spectacular groups of archaeological discoveries from our part of Norfolk, many on show for the first time.

“The finds offer a sweep of history from back in the Bronze Age right through to the time of the English Civil War.”