The Everlöv treasure

The history of the Everlöv treasure

The Everlöv treasure became known in the 1980s. A private person reported that she had found it in an old piece of storage furniture that she had inherited. The Historical Museum in Lund documented the objects. The treasure was not redeemed by the state because the legislation was interpreted as it was not compulsory at the time. The treasure continued to be passed down in the family, which submitted it for sale in 2021.

In the spring of 2022, the Viking-Age Everlöv treasure was planned to be sold at auction. This attracted a lot of attention. Before the auction took place, two foundations bought the treasure in order to pass it on to the collections of the Economy Museum – Royal Coin Cabinet.

The planned auction was noticed in the media all over Sweden. Two numismatic foundations, Sven Svensson’s foundation for numismatics and Gunnar Ekström’s foundation for numismatic research, joined forces to buy the treasure and the auction was called off.

About the Everlöv treasure

The Everlöv treasure consists of roughly 900 coins and silver objects. The youngest coins are Danish and dates the find to after cirka 1015. It is unknown exactly where it was originally found, but probably in Scania. The oldest coins are from the 800s.

Viking-Age treasures with coins

Silver was of great importance in the Nordic countries during the Viking-Age. It was used in trade transactions and as a means of saving. In Sweden, a large number of Viking Age silver treasures have been found, in total containing circa 250,000 coins. Each silver-treasure is unique and contributes to our knowledge of the Viking-Age society.