'History in your hand': detectorists unearth England's richest treasure

It began with a speculative trip to a soggy field in Somerset by a seven-strong band of metal detectorists more intent on figuring out how to use some new kit than on unearthing anything of great historical importance.

- Steven Morris

But the friends came upon an astonishing hoard of coins - 2,584 silver pennies - from the time of the Norman conquest, which has been valued at £4.3m, making it the highest-value treasure find ever in England. "It's fantastic, unbelievable," Adam Staples, one of the finders of the Chew Valley hoard, told the Guardian yesterday. He said it was hard to put into words the emotions as coin after coin emerged.

"It was a feeling of amazement. To find one coin was great. Then within a few minutes a few more, then 10 coins, 50 coins. It was ever-increasing. And your emotions are just multiplying. It has definitely changed my life. It was like holding history in your hand. And, obviously, the financial side of it is brilliant as well."

The landowner, who is not being named, will receive half the proceeds and the seven finders are splitting their portion equally. "We all agreed to share it and we're all happy with the agreement," said Staples, who is from Derby and runs an auction house specialising in ancient coins. The charity South West Heritage Trust has acquired the coins for the nation thanks to funding including from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Art Fund.