Ancient Anglo-Saxon coin of King Ethelred discovered in Scotland’s Shetland Islands
Archaeologists uncovered a 1,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon coin bearing King Ethelred the Unready during a coastal excavation in Nesting, Shetland.
During a survey of erosion-endangered prehistoric structures in Nesting, a coastal village on Scotland’s eastern Shetland Islands, archaeologists recovered a thick-patinated Anglo-Saxon coin minted between 991 and 997 AD. The coin features the portrait of King Ethelred the Unready, who ruled England from 978 to 1013 AD and is noted as the longest-reigning Anglo-Saxon king. University of Aberdeen archaeologist Elinor Graham, participating in the dig while on vacation, described the find as uniquely rare for the area.
Researchers suggest the artifact could provide insight into early medieval trade routes or possibly represent loot from a Norse raid, noting a previous Anglo-Saxon coin found at Old Scatness. The Treasure Trove Unit will assess whether the coin should be offered to the Shetland Museum and Archives, where Graham hopes it will be displayed. The find underscores the Shetland region’s long-standing connections across the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Viking periods.
Why it matters
It provides new evidence of early medieval links between Shetland and Anglo-Saxon England.
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