Rare coin from Norway’s last Viking king mistaken for old button

Metal detectorists encounter plenty of junk beneath the ground, but the good ones know the importance of always giving their discoveries a closer inspection. Recently, a hobbyist named Morten Eek unearthed a small, dingy discovery in southwestern Norway near Utstein Abbey. With one silvery side and the other seemingly copper, Eek assumed he found yet another post-medieval clothing button commonly found in the area.

Only while reexamining the object months later did he and fellow detectorists notice a previously overlooked detail on the supposed button’s shinier face, a clearly visible cross design. Examining it under a magnification lens also revealed that the copper side was actually a plate attached and folded around the coin’s edge. After consulting numismatic (coin-related) historical records, Eek decided to bring the “button” to archaeologists at Norway’s University of Stavanger.

The experts’ analysis further strengthened the suspicion that they weren’t dealing with an ordinary clothing accessory. The artifact’s copper side was an example of what’s known as secondary modification, when an object is later altered to serve a different purpose. In this case, two tiny notches along the rim suggested holes for a chain or cord. The silver side’s “cross over cross” design further underscored the archaeologists’ theory that the button was actually a Viking era Norwegian coin dating back to the late 11th or early 12th century CE.

X-ray imaging revealed a griffin-like design hidden beneath one side’s copper plating. Credit: Hege Hollund / University of Stavanger

Although the shinier side also displayed an inscription, it was too fragmentary to discern. The team suspected similar wording may be found underneath the copper plate, but knew removing it would compromise the delicate object’s historical integrity. They instead opted to utilize X-ray imaging, which uncovered a griffin-like creature on the opposing face.

With that, they finally had their answer. Eek hadn’t found a button; he discovered a rare coin minted during the reign of Magnus Berrføtt, aka Magnus Barefoot.

King of Norway from 1093 to 1103 CE, Barefoot is considered the country’s last Viking ruler, and is remembered for his attempts to extend power across the North Atlantic. Compared to his relatively peaceful father, Olaf Kyrre, the final monarch’s legacy is much bloodier and violent. His ambitions eventually brought Norwegian influence into the western isles, the Isle of Man, portions of Ireland, and the Hebrides. These excursions made him many enemies, and Barefoot died at around 30 years old in Ireland after he was ambushed during his second western campaign.

Beyond his military aims, King Barefoot is also remembered for coins like the one discovered near Utstein Abbey. He enacted significant currency reforms, specifically when it came to coinage silver content. As Arkeonews explained, he ordered a reduction in coin weight while maintaining the same amount of silver, which increased their fineness to around 90 percent.

Only about 100 Barefoot coins are known to archaeologists, making Eek’s find a major discovery for historians. With further examination, researchers may soon learn where it was minted based on the die cast, which would better contextualize the scale and organization of coin production at the very end of the Viking era. Not bad for a mistaken button.

The post Rare coin from Norway’s last Viking king mistaken for old button appeared first on Popular Science.