Men guilty of Anglo-Saxon coin sale plot

Both men denied the charges after they were arrested in 2019

Two men have been found guilty of trying to sell rare Anglo-Saxon coins.

Craig Best, 46, of South View, Bishop Auckland, and Roger Pilling, 74, of Loveclough, Lancashire, had denied conspiring to sell criminal property.

The two men, who were first arrested in May 2019 following an undercover police sting, had also denied separate charges of possessing criminal property.

Durham Crown Court heard the coins, valued at £766,000, were not declared as treasure and handed to the Crown.

Both men are due to be sentenced on 4 May.

• The black market coins that rewrite English history

The coins, which are believed to have been buried by Vikings, are thought to have been part of the Herefordshire Hoard - a multimillion-pound haul of about 300 coins found by two different metal detectorists in 2015.

In 2019 the two detectorists who found the Herefordshire Hoard were sentenced to 18 years for selling the items and not declaring them as "treasure" under the Treasure Act 1996.

Experts say the coins add to understanding of political history in England in the 9th Century

The coins have shed new light on the relationship between two historical figures - Alfred, King of Wessex and Ceolwulf II of Mercia.

Det Supt Lee Gosling, Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Fantail, at Durham Constabulary said the investigation was "lengthy and complex".

He added: "This is an extremely unusual case, as it is not very often we get the chance to shape British history.

"It is astonishing that the history books need re-writing because of this find.

"These coins come from a hoard of an immense historical significance relating to the Vikings and we are delighted that they are now with the British Museum."

'Serious criminality'

Judge James Adkin said the sentencing exercise would be "complicated" as the offence was rare and he adjourned the case until Thursday 4 May.

Remanding them in custody, he told the pair: "You have both been convicted of what I consider to be compelling evidence of serious criminality, in relation to these artefacts.

"You are both aware of what the sentence is likely to be, imprisonment for years."