The largest treasure in Scotland was estimated at hundreds of thousands of pounds

A huge treasure hidden more than 700 years ago was discovered in Scotland with the help of metal detectors. The experts have been busy cataloging over 8,000 antique silver coins, each of which can be worth hundreds or thousands of pounds.

Treasure hunters using metal detectors have unearthed a massive hoard of ancient coins believed to be the largest hoard of ancient treasure ever found in Scotland.

The find of 8,407 silver coins has been named the Dunscor Hoard after the Dumfriesshire village near which it was found. Daily Mail.

Now experts are cataloging the treasure. While the exact value of the find is currently being estimated, it is likely to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

This treasure is just one part of a huge hoard of treasures unearthed after the COVID lockdown sparked a boom in the use of metal detectors by hobbyists across Scotland.

The volume of finds over the last couple of years has been so massive that the National Treasures Office in Scotland has needed additional staff.

Reports of found ancient artifacts are now coming in at a rate of more than 200 per week. The fact is that in Scotland, any artifact that is considered to be of archaeological importance, by law, must be reported to the authorities.

The Dunscore find has been recognized by officials as the largest hoard of medieval coins found in Scotland in at least 200 years, and may be the largest ever.

The coins were discovered last year and are believed to be primarily Edward I and II pennies dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, as well as hundreds of other silver coins from Britain and Europe. A source said: “This is an absolutely amazing find. After the initial discovery, the site was excavated by Treasure Department officials along with archaeologists from the National Museum of Scotland and each coin is now catalogued. This requires identifying, photographing, measuring and weighing each one.” A spokesman for the Treasure Trove Unit confirmed: “The Dunscor Hoard is one of the largest hoards of medieval coins found in Scotland since the 19th century. It contains a mix of Scottish, English, Irish and Continental silver coins.”

Amid a surge in the number of metal detector enthusiasts across the UK over the past few years, the Treasure Trove Unit in Scotland has removed 12,263 amazing artifacts this year, including the Dunscor Treasure.

Since October, the unit has also recorded about 900 finds. For comparison, 1551 artifacts were received for the whole of 2019. This year’s Crown Office report says “Treasure Trove policy is being reassessed” after the lockdown boom and that the number of finds has led to the need for more staff.

The report added: “Given the lockdown issues and the increased public interest in the use of metal detectors, there is a significant number of discovered artifacts awaiting evaluation.”

The Dunscor Hoard was made just 20 miles from Balmaga, where what became known as the Galloway Hoard was found in 2014. It was the finest collection of Viking Age items ever discovered in Britain and is believed to have been purchased for nearly £2 million.

As the Daily Mail explains, the hoard is a trove of artifacts such as coins, precious metals and jewelry that are believed to have been deliberately buried or hidden. Theories as to why they were buried and then abandoned range from a means of protecting the items, to ritual sacrifice, or that they were discarded by accident.

Under the Scottish system, the Scottish Commission for the Distribution of Archaeological Finds is responsible for advising the King and the Lord Salvage Treasurer, who is part of the Royal Office, about artifacts and the level of payment, known as the ex gratia award, that is awarded to the finder of the treasure.