Metal detectorist faces 103,000-pound-bill or jail after plot to sell stolen Anglo-Saxon coins

According to a latest article, BBC features that a metal detectorist who tried to profit from a hoard of priceless Anglo-Saxon coins has been hit with a 103,000-pound-bill or face a return to prison. Roger Pilling, 77, was ordered by the court to pay the sum after being convicted of conspiring to sell rare 9th-century treasures, which were stolen from a historic Viking burial site.

In 2023, Pilling and his accomplice, 48-year-old Craig Best from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, were sentenced to over five years in prison after being convicted of conspiring to sell 44 stolen coins, valued at 766,000 pounds. The coins were believed to be part of a massive haul of 300 Viking-era treasures buried in Leominster, Hereford, and should have been handed over to the Crown as treasure.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Pilling was aware the 9th-century coins were stolen but chose to profit from them rather than report the crime. Prosecutor Adrian Foster informed the court that Pilling’s actions could lead to a further 12-month sentence.

The pair was arrested in May 2019 after an undercover police officer posing as a potential buyer caught them in the act of attempting to sell the treasure. They were convicted of conspiracy to convert criminal property and possession of criminal property.

Pilling was found to have held 46 coins minted under the reign of King Alfred the Great of Wessex, including two rare "Two Emperor" coins distributed by Alfred and Ceolwulf II of Mercia. While the coins were valued at over 750,000 pounds, only 41 were recovered by authorities. Pilling claimed to have broken two of the coins, but the court found this claim to be false, leading to a Confiscation Order for their value.

The conclusion of Pilling’s hearing marks the final chapter in a six-year-long legal battle. Both Pilling and Best have since been released from prison and are currently under licence supervision.

In a related development, Best's proceeds of crime proceedings were concluded in January, with his Confiscation Order increased to 648.01 pounds, which has been paid using cash seized during his arrest.

By Naila Huseynova