Amateur treasure hunter's £1m find of Anglo Saxon coins
The 5,251 silver coins, which are more than 1,000 years old, were found in a farmer’s field near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.
They are said to form one of the largest hoards of Anglo Saxon coins ever found in Britain.
The dig was organised by the Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club and was attended by more than 100 people.
The individual who made the discovery could split the takings with the land owner if and when the coins are sold.
Experts said the extremely rare pieces could be worth more than £1 million Photo: Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club / SWNS.com
The perfectly preserved pieces, which feature the faces of Anglo Saxon kings, were in a lead bucket that was buried two feet underground.
Experts said the extremely rare pieces could be worth more than £1 million and Pete Welch, the club leader, said the find was "very significant".
He said: "They're like mirrors; no scratching, and buried really carefully in a lead container, deep down.
"It looks like only two people have handled these coins - the person who made them and the person who buried them.
"Metal detecting is a bit random but most farms have a bit of history so you have a chance of finding something.