Ballaquayle Hoard Eadgar coin
Date made: Viking: 800-1265, AD 957-75, deposited c.970
Description: The very first artefact to be given an official number as part of the Manx National Collections in the Manx Museum was this silver coin. It is inscribed with the name of King Eadgar, and also the person who minted the coin, Adelaver. Minted in north east England between AD 957 and 970, it was buried along with hundreds of other coins, and complete and fragmentary pieces of Viking Age jewellery. The hoard was discovered in 1894 whilst digging foundations for a new house on Derby Road, Douglas. Only just over 200 of the coins are known to have survived, the others being too corroded, or not recognised as being important and taken to a rubbish tip! The hoard is known as the Ballaquayle Hoard and was buried around AD 970.
The inscription on this coin is;
+EADGAR RE (X)
Adelaver and trefoil (three dot design)
John Stephen, who found the hoard while digging foundations for a new house, was reluctant to bring all the items to the court, in case he would not get them back. He was sent from the Court to collect them from home, after being reassured that the treasure would be returned to him. His description of what he thought of his find, along with other eye witness reports can be seen in this report in the Journal of the Manx Museum, 1938:
Report
Measurements: 2cm diameter; 0.1cm thick; 1.02g weight; die-axis 180°
Materials: silver
Date found: 12 June 1894
Object name: coin
Collection: Archaeology Collection
ID number: 1954-0001
Subject tags : #MM100COLLECTIONS