Two men face trial over a £ 1 million Viking treasure of coins and silver | News from the UK

Two men have dismissed charges relating to a Viking hoard of historically important coins and silver valued at nearly £ 1 million.

Roger Pilling, 73, and Craig Best, 44, appeared before Durham Crown Court to plead guilty to all charges.

They dismissed charges of conspiracy to convert criminal property – Anglo-Saxon coins – between September 2018 and May 2019.

Pilling, of Loveclough, Lancashire, also denied two charges of possession of criminal property – Anglo-Saxon coins and a silver bar.

Best of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, denied charges of possession of criminal property, namely Anglo-Saxon coins.

You will be tried on June 20th next year.

Durham police previously said officials seized large numbers of coins and a silver bar in two raids.

The treasure contained coins from Alfred the Great of Wessex and his lesser known contemporary Ceolwulf II of Mercia.

It is considered important because it fills a gap in the understanding of the story at this time.

So far, reports have suggested that Ceolwulf II was more of a Viking puppet and a minor nobleman than a real king.

But the coins tell a completely different historical story and show two rulers standing side by side as allies.

King Alfred inflicted a heavy defeat on the Vikings in 878 and experts at the British Museum believe the coins belonged to a hoard consistent with the location of the Viking army at the time.