Hereford museum acquires rare King Offa coin

The coin is on temporary display at the museum until the end of May

A rare 1,200-year-old King Offa penny has been purchased by a museum.

The silver coin was found by a metal detectorist in a field in Marden, Herefordshire, in February 2022.

The treasure is thought to date back to the reign of King Offa, who ruled Mercia in Anglo-Saxon England in the 8th Century.

It was offered to a museum in Hereford on 28 February by Dr Jerry Davis, at minimal cost, after purchasing it at an auction last year.

A spokesperson from Hereford Museum and Art Gallery said it was "delighted" to acquire the item, which was in "very good" condition despite its age.

Under the Treasure Act 1996 any finders have a legal obligation to report all finds of potential treasure to local authorities.

'Rare artefacts'

The metal detectorist who unearthed the find had recorded it with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) which lists all archaeological finds in England and Wales and currently holds information on over one million items.

The coin is thought to have been made during the reign of King Offa

"I'm delighted that the coin will ultimately be displayed alongside other fantastic treasures in Hereford's redeveloped museum," Dr Davis said.

He added he was looking forward to seeing how the museum would display the treasure.

"Rare artefacts keep local people and visitors interested in the county's history - they bring stories to life," he explained.

The coin is on temporary display at the museum until 31 May.

It has not been disclosed how much was paid for the coin.