Trial told sting operation used to stop Viking hoard of coins worth £766,000 being sold in Durham

An expert told Durham Crown Court that the 9th century Anglo-Saxon minted coins were "extremely significant for our understanding of the history of the unification of England." Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum

A trial has heard how undercover officers carried out a sting operation to stop two men from selling coins worth £766,000 from a Viking hoard to an American buyer.

Craig Best, from County Durham, and Roger Pilling, from Lancashire, deny conspiracy to sell criminal property.

An expert told Durham Crown Court that the 9th century Anglo-Saxon minted coins were "extremely significant for our understanding of the history of the unification of England."

Jurors were told that the silver coins were believed to be part of the Hertfordshire Hoard, which had not been declared as “treasure” and therefore had not been handed to the Crown.

The coins were thought to have been made between 874 and 879 and buried by a Viking during a particularly violent period of English history.

They included two extremely rare examples of two-headed coins, showing Alfred of Wessex and Ceolwulf, a figure who was discredited by Saxon writers as a Viking puppet ruler.

It was believed the coins were made between 874 and 879, and were similar to this coin. Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum

The Crown does not allege that either of the defendants, who were both interested in metal detecting, found the coins themselves.

Best, 46, from South View, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and Pilling, 74, from Loveclough, Lancashire, also deny individual charges of possessing criminal property – the same coins.

Best is said to have taken three coins to a meeting at a hotel with undercover officers he thought were part of a team brokering a deal with a US-based buyer.

This included one of the exceptionally rare Alfred and Ceolwulf examples, which alone was worth £70,000.

Prosecutor Matthew Donkin said that uniformed officers then arrested and handcuffed Best in the Royal County Hotel, Durham.

Police also raided Pilling’s home in Lancashire and recovered a further 41 coins from the hoard, bringing the total to 44.

The jury heard that police recovered an image from Pilling’s home showing 46 coins in total, meaning that two coins remain missing.

The prosecution allege that Best and Pilling were in a conspiracy to sell the coins, despite knowing they came from a hoard and should have been declared as treasure and handed over to the Crown.

In 2018, Best was said to have made contact with a US-based Professor Ronald Bude, who had an interest in ancient coins.

He tried to interest Professor Bude in buying the coins, including an “Alfred penny”.

Professor Bude was not sure they were real and contacted a UK-based expert. As word got around about the availability of extremely rare coins, the court heard, the authorities were contacted and the undercover operation was mounted.

Best allegedly told the professor that the coins were “big money” and that he should fly over to the UK to see them him for himself.

When Professor Bude asked him where they came from Best replied, in an email, “near Worcester”.

Mr Donkin, prosecuting, told the court that the Herefordshire Hoard was found in Leominster, some 30 miles from Worcester.

After he failed to sell the coins to Professor Bude, the hearing was told that Best tried to sell the collection to the US-based buyers – who were really undercover police officers.

The trial continues on Wednesday 12 April.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...