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Anglo-Saxon gold is worth £3.285m Anglo-Saxon gold is worth £3.285m
(40 minutes later)
A haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure recently unearthed in Staffordshire has been valued at £3.285m.A haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure recently unearthed in Staffordshire has been valued at £3.285m.
The money will be split between metal detector enthusiast Terry Herbert, who found the hoard, and Fred Johnson, who owns the farm where it was discovered.The money will be split between metal detector enthusiast Terry Herbert, who found the hoard, and Fred Johnson, who owns the farm where it was discovered.
The hoard, which is thought to date back to the 7th Century, comprises 1,600 items including sword pommels, helmet parts and processional crosses.The hoard, which is thought to date back to the 7th Century, comprises 1,600 items including sword pommels, helmet parts and processional crosses.
The value was set by a committee which met on Wednesday. The value was set by a committee of experts which met on Wednesday.
Part of the hoard is currently on display at the British Museum in London. It is due to move to the Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent in the New Year.
A campaign to see the hoard return to the Midlands has been set up with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent hoping to buy the treasure from the Crown.
This gold strip with a Biblical inscription is one of 1,500 items in the hoard.
The hoard was discovered by 55-year-old metal detecting enthusiast Terry Herbert, of Burntwood, in Staffordshire, in July.The hoard was discovered by 55-year-old metal detecting enthusiast Terry Herbert, of Burntwood, in Staffordshire, in July.
He found it on land owned by farmer Fred Johnson, who bought the land in 1983. It is of course immensely important that this extraordinary hoard is acquired for public benefit Professor Norman Palmer
Mr Johnson said: "I haven't made a decision how to spend the money yet, I'm not coming to any quick decisions. He found it on land owned by farmer Fred Johnson, who said had not decided how to spend the money yet.
"It's been in the ground for thousands of years, it (the decision making) can wait a bit longer." "I'm not coming to any quick decisions," he said.
"It's been in the ground for thousands of years, [the decision making] can wait a bit longer."
He said he had not been told when he will be paid the money.He said he had not been told when he will be paid the money.
Members of the Bloxwich Research and Metal Detecting Club, of which Terry Herbert is a member, had estimated in advance the gold would be worth around £3m.
Secretary Jim Wall described the final figure of £3.8m as "very nice".
He added: "The boy has done very well, it's a once in a million lifetime chance isn't it?
"The right time, the right place."
The price was set by eight members of the treasure valuation committee, who are all dealers and experts in their fields.
This gold strip with a Biblical inscription is one of 1,500 items in the hoard.
Chairman Professor Norman Palmer CBE said the committee had to analyse a very large amount of information in order to arrive at the price, which he described as "a fair market price".
He said: "It is of course immensely important that this extraordinary hoard is acquired for public benefit."
Now a fundraising campaign to bring the hoard back to the West Midlands has been launched.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent are both hoping to buy the treasure from the Crown.
Part of the hoard is currently on display at the British Museum in London.
It is due to move to the Potteries Museum for a temporary exhibition in the New Year.