Posted on 12/05/2023 12:14:36 PM PST by Red Badger
A "very rare" ancient gold coin found recently in the mountains of central Norway could be lost cash that once belonged to an early monarch, according to Norwegian officials.
The gold coin was discovered by a metal detectorist in Vestre Slidre, a rural city known for skiing, in Norway's south-central Innlandet County. Technically called "histamenon nomisma," the coin was first introduced around 960 C.E. and used as standard Byzantine currency, the Innlandet County Municipality said in a news release. That means the artifact would have traveled more than 1,600 miles from its origin site to the spot where it was found.
"It has held up exceptionally well. The coin appears largely unchanged from when it was lost, perhaps a thousand years ago," the news release said.
Christ is depicted on one side of the coin. MARTINE KASPERSEN/INNLANDET COUNTY MUNICIPALITY The ancient coin was introduced in the Byzantine Empire, also called the Eastern Roman Empire, and likely was minted in Constantinople, the Byzantine capital that is Istanbul today. It is decorated on both faces, with one side appearing to show an embossed illustration of Christ holding a Bible. The other side appears to depict the former Byzantine emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII, according to Innlandet County. The two brothers were named co-rulers of the Byzantine Empire toward the end of the 9th century. Knowing the time frame of their reign, officials say the coin found in Norway was probably minted at some point between 977 and 1025 C.E.
The coin has written inscriptions, too. One, written in Latin by the stamp of Christ, says, "Jesus Christ, King of those who reign." The other, written in Greek on the coin's opposite side, says, "Basil and Constantine, emperors of the Romans," according to the county.
The emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII are likely depicted on the other side of the coin. MARTINE KASPERSEN/INNLANDET COUNTY MUNICIPALITY At the height of its power, the Byzantine Empire comprised much of the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, including parts of Italy, Greece and Turkey, as well as portions of northern Africa and the Middle East. Innlandet officials have speculated about the route over which the gold coin could have traveled to end up where it did, and why that might have happened.
One possible explanation is that it once belonged to Harald Hardråde, a Norwegian king who ruled from 1046 to 1066 C.E., after previously serving as a guard for the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople.
"At that time it was customary for the guards to be given the right to loot the palace and take all the valuables they could find when the emperor died. During Harald's time in Byzantium, three emperors had died," officials said. So, the former king could have acquired the gold coin in Constantinople and taken it back with him to Norway.
The gold coin could have also made its way into Norway's early salt trade, which had transport routes that ran perpendicular from western Norway across the country.
Because the metal detectorist found the coin so late in the fall season, the spot where it was discovered will not be investigated further until next year.
This was not the first time a metal detectorist struck gold while probing the land in Norway. Over the summer, a Norwegian man found nine pendants, three rings and 10 gold pearls with a metal detector in the southern island of Rennesoey, near the city of Stavanger. And, in October, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo announced that dozens of ancient gold-foil figures depicting images of Norse gods were found at the site of a pagan temple near a farm in Vingrom, about 100 miles south of the capital city.
PinGGG!........................
proof of extraterrestrial beings...
what? no? c’mon man...
Proof that someone had a hole in his pocket...............
There was a British comedy series called “The Detectorists” that was a hoot.
The Varangian Guard were an elite unit of the Byzantine Army from the tenth to the fourteenth century, which served as personal bodyguards to the Byzantine emperors. The were recruited among Nordic peoples and also the Saxons of England
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangian_Guard
Rick from Pawn Stars will give you $100 for it.
Or trade and collecting have been around forever.
I have a Greek silver coin from around 300 BC found in England in a hoard of coins in the 1880s that had about a 1500 year spread from the oldest to youngest.
Ex-Vikings.......Good choice...................
I bet he would, too!.............
The Byzantines hired Norse mercenaries, known as the Varangian Guard, as troops in their armies. That’s probably how the coin got to Norway
They probably were giants compared to the Byzantines.............
No surprise to those who even watched the series Vikings.
Sucks to be the guy who lost that coin 1100 years ago.
But first, he has a buddy in Las Vegas who is an expert in long-lost Norwegian gold from the Byzantine era...
-PJ
I caught a episode of Pawn Stars recently on YouTube where they did call in the firearms expert to examine some 18th century pistol. It looked pretty authentic. Just like something a pirate or nobleman would have in the 1700s.
They guy was trying to sell it for $3K or more. The guy looked at it and said right away that there were things wrong with the engravings on it. That it was stamped into the metal, not engraved, etc. Turned out it was a really good FAKE.
The guy was pissed. It was only worth about $150. The trouble was the guy paid $800 for it. He got scammed.
Pawn stars will give you $25 for it. Because they’re just isn’t a lot of guys walking in the store. Looking to buy a gold Norwegian coin from 960.
“i’m taking a huge risk.”, Rick
It is a rare “Migratory Ancient Gold Coin” or It was carried there by a 5 oz. Swallow.
Funny you should mention him. I was watching Pawn Stars earlier today on youtube.
Must have been a European Swallow as African Swallows are non-migratory.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.