Norway Detectorist's 'Button' Is 900-Year-Old Viking Coin

Morten Eek thought he'd found another dirty button when his metal detector beeped in a Norwegian field last April. Months later, he learned he'd discovered something far more precious: a unique silver coin from Magnus Barefoot, Norway's last Viking king.

The coin sat in Eek's collection of buttons and scrap metal for months after he found it near Utstein Monastery in southwest Norway. One side gleamed silver, but the other was covered in copper with a dark spot that made it look like a worn button from someone's old coat.

Everything changed when Eek showed his finds to fellow metal detectorists. They noticed the silver side matched illustrations from an 1865 reference book on medieval Norwegian coins and urged him to contact experts.

Researchers at the University of Stavanger Museum of Archaeology confirmed what seemed impossible. The coin dates to Magnus Barefoot's reign from 1093 to 1103 and is the first of its type ever found on Norwegian soil.

Sunny's Take

The coin itself tells a beautiful story of transformation. Someone in medieval times had folded its edges around a copper plate and added notches for a chain, turning currency into cherished jewelry that was likely worn close to someone's heart.

X-rays revealed a griffin hidden beneath the copper covering. The mythical creature with a lion's body and bird features symbolized Christ's dual nature in medieval Christian art. The visible side shows a cross-over-cross design with double lines and small semicircles at the ends.

This motif combination is incredibly rare. Only four other coins like this exist worldwide: one from the Faroe Islands found in 1863 and three from a Danish hoard discovered this spring containing nearly 5,000 coins.

The discovery matters because so little remains from Magnus Barefoot's reign. Only about 100 of his coins have ever been found across 12 discoveries, making each new example precious for understanding Norway's transition from the Viking Age to the Middle Ages.

Magnus Barefoot earned his nickname from the kilts he wore and lived up to his warrior reputation. Unlike his father's peaceful reign, Barefoot spent his time campaigning across the Irish Sea and Isle of Man. He believed a king was meant "for honor and glory, and not a long life," and died around age 30 during an ambush in Ireland in 1103.

The coin also reveals Barefoot's commitment to quality. While earlier rulers had reduced silver content in their coins, Barefoot restored high standards with coins containing about 90% silver, showing he valued both military might and economic integrity.

Museum representatives say the find underlines how one major treasure discovery could completely change our understanding of this period. Every button that turns out to be a Viking king's coin brings us closer to knowing our shared past.