Viking-Era Silver Coins Found in Sweden

Archaeologists said Monday they found more than 1,000 silver coins in a Viking-era hoard discovered by chance on the Swedish island of Gotland.
The treasure, believed to have been buried in the 10th century, also included several silver bracelets and weighed about 7 pounds, local curator Majvor Ostergren told Swedish news agency TT.

Edvin Sandborg, 20, and his 17-year-old brother Arvid said they found the hoard last week when they were helping a neighbor with some yard work.

"By coincidence, I happened to find an Arabic silver coin that's about 1,100 years old," Edvin Sandborg told TT.

The brothers said they dug up more than 100 coins and decided to contact a local museum, which sent archeologists to excavate the site. Officials said the two brothers could expect a finder's fee from the government, but it was unclear how much they would be paid. - examin