A fisherman in Sweden searching for bait worms near his summer cottage made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery — a massive medieval treasure hoard buried in the soil.
Inside a corroded copper cauldron, he found roughly 20,000 silver coins, along with rings, pendants, and pearls believed to date back to the 12th century.
The collection, weighing about 13 pounds, includes rare “bishop coins” and pieces minted during the reign of King Knut Eriksson, who ruled Sweden from 1167 to 1196.
Archaeologists and cultural heritage officials are now cataloging and preserving the find, which is being hailed as one of the largest medieval coin discoveries in Swedish history.
Under Swedish law, the fisherman reported the hoard to authorities and may receive compensation for his extraordinary find once the assessment is complete.