Molnby Hoard, Viking silver hoard in Molnby, Vallentuna Municipality, Sweden
The Molnby Hoard is a silver deposit containing 163 coins weighing 285 grams total, including 113 clipped pieces and 50 intact specimens discovered in October 2016. The find documents extensive trade connections between Scandinavian Vikings and distant regions during the medieval period.
The hoard originates from the Viking Age and includes coins minted near Samarkand in the 930s, alongside imitations produced near the Volga River. This composition demonstrates the extensive trade routes that connected Scandinavian Vikings with the East.
Several coins have holes made for wearing them as ornaments, showing that Scandinavian people valued coins mainly for their metal content rather than their face value. This practice reveals how Vikings carried their wealth as personal jewelry.
The hoard was discovered during construction planning for the Roslagsbanan railway and required immediate conservation treatment when exposed to air to prevent damage. Today it is preserved in a museum setting where it is properly stored and displayed.
The total value of this deposit equaled approximately ten cows or one and a half horses, suggesting ownership by a prosperous farmer of that era. Such comparisons help us understand how precious silver was in Viking society.
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