This Blog began as a simple description of three skilfully engraved silver coins, each showing a view of Hexham church and dated 1830 and 1833. Each of the pieces has an engraved name, but with too many local possibilities, they are unlikely to be identified with certainty.
Whilst searching for events at the church during this period, a completely unexpected numismatic connection was made. On Monday 15 October 1832 the Hexham hoard of about 8,000 Northumbrian Stycas was discovered. The hoard had been deposited c.865. At the time the discovery was reported in local newspapers across the country. The discovery and contents of the hoard were published in 1833. The first specific appearance of the hoard in numismatic literature was in J.D.A. Thompson’s Inventory of British Coin Hoards of 1956.
The dates on the engraved coins may be just the result of a local engraver creating mementos or may have some significance relating to the closure of the church for the refurbishment in 1830. There is every possibility that the original owners of the three engraved coins were aware of the discovery of the hoard.
BNS Research Blog 