Garff Gold Ingot
Date made: Viking AD 950-1050
Description: During the Viking Age, ingots were used in the place of numerous coins as payment for goods.
No examples of gold ingots have previously been found on the Island and the use of gold was uncommon throughout the British Isles and Scandinavia, with silver being by far the more common form of currency. The ingot contains around 92% gold and was originally hammered into shape, hence the rippling effect on one face and this is a typically Viking Age technique. The Isle of Man was an important financial centre for the Vikings, and discoveries such as this are stunning illustrations of that status.
The ingot was found in the north of the Island by John Crowe and declared Treasure Trove.
Measurements: 38mm length; 26.8g
Materials: gold
Date found: November 2012
Object name: ingot
Collection: Archaeology Collection
ID number: 2015-0033