Appeal to keep Anglo-Saxon gold hoard in West Midlands

9.02.00am GMT Wed 13th Jan 2010

An appeal has been launched with the aim of raising £3.3m to buy the Staffordshire Hoard which was discovered in July 2009.

As many as 1,500 gold treasures were found in a field near Lichfield by metal detectorist Terry Herbert.

If the campaign manages to raise the £3.3m required by 17th April the hoard would be jointly acquired by both the Birmingham museum and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent.

Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent city councils and The Art Fund have together donated £500,000 to the cause. The hoard was valued in November after being declared to be treasure by the South Staffordshire coroner.

Once the hoard is bought, an extra £1.7m will be needed to ensure it can be properly conserved, studied and displayed.

Donations can be made to the campaign on The Art Fund website.

Related Link:

The Art Fund.