Searching for metal, suddenly ‘changing life’ thanks to finding millions of dollars worth of Viking wealth

In 2014, Derek McLennan, an amateur treasure hunter, used metal detectors to scan the Galloway area, where there was a battle between the Irish and the Vikings. This battlefield area is also home to many treasures buried by the Vikings underground, before these ethnic warriors entered the war.

While working on metal detectors, McLennan unexpectedly discovered a storage of more than 100 foreign objects at least 1,000 years old. He later decided to inform the authorities about his valuable findings. Three years later, the owner of the Scottish Landless Property Authority ruled that the treasures should be stored at the Scottish National Museum for public display.

In contrast to the rest of the United Kingdom, where property is shared among all land owners, Scottish law provides a reward only to those who discover an ownerless property. Therefore, McLennan received a reward of up to 2.5 million pounds (about 60 billion VND). However, those entrusted by the church’s owner of McLennan land to find the treasure are filing a lawsuit against McLennan in court in Edinburgh to claim half of the proceeds from the treasure.

Reportedly, after 5 years of restoring artifacts, researchers still regularly send letters to McLennan to thank him for accepting to transfer the treasure to the government instead of selling it on the black market.

McLennan itself is also very charming with antiques of Viking origin. By the end of November 2019, McLennan also discovered a number of other valuable artifacts in the vicinity of Galloway including bracelets, brooches and silver rings. During the 5 years since earning 60 billion VND bonus, McLennan continues to be rewarded about 10 billion VND for the new items he collected.

The artifacts in the repository were found by McLennan.

The Scottish Archaeological Research Institute affirms that the reward for McLennan is totally worth it, because the artifacts found have constituted the largest Viking treasure ever known in the whole of the United Kingdom.

Besides, the Scottish Archaeological Institute also announced many important steps in the restoration of antiques. In addition to the value of money, the treasure discovered by McLennan also contains many other hidden values ​​that are still being deciphered.

Refer to Vice