Anglo-Saxon Gold Haul Tops £3m

Anglo-Saxon treasure recently unearthed in Staffordshire has been valued at £3.28 million, the British Museum has said.

The independent Treasure Valuation Committee reached the figure for the largest collection of treasure ever found after meeting at the museum.

The money will be equally split between metal detector user Terry Herbert, who found the haul, and landowner Fred Johnson.

Professor Norman Palmer, chairman of the Government-appointed committee, said: "The task of valuing this hoard required the Treasure Valuation Committee to analyse a very large amount of information in order to arrive at a fair market price and I am personally indebted to my fellow members whose energy and expertise made this result possible in so short a time.

"All finders of treasure can take encouragement that the most valuable treasure find ever made was dealt with so speedily and yet so scrupulously by all parties concerned, given that the hoard was discovered only in July."

He added: "It is of course immensely important that this extraordinary hoard is acquired for public benefit and I know that the two museums are anxious to raise the funding to keep the hoard in the West Midlands as soon as they can."

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent are launching a campaign to buy the hoard which comprises of 1,600 items including sword pommels, helmet parts and processional crosses.

A book 'The Staffordshire Hoard' has been recently published by the British Museum Press, priced £4.99 with £1 going to the appeal fund for acquisition.

A selection of objects from the hoard will go on display at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, from 13 February to 7 March 2010.

(GK/BMcC)