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Archaeologists in Norway Find a Rare Coin of King Olaf II

Smithsonian 23 October 2026 2 min read

In short

  • A hoard of about 5,500 Viking Age coins was found in Norway.
  • Fewer than 20 coins minted under King Olaf II Haraldsson have ever been found.
  • Researchers already consider one coin from the hoard a national treasure.

Why the Good News Desk likes this one

The hoard is large, and one coin within it stands out because so few of its kind have survived. Researchers say the find brings a medieval Norwegian king within reach of ordinary hands. The source gives little more detail, so the wider significance is still open.

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From Smithsonian

Fewer than 20 coins minted under Norwegian King Olaf II Haraldsson have ever been found. "We can almost imagine Olaf himself holding this coin in his hand," one researcher says

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For kids

Scientists in Norway found a big pile of very old coins, about 5,500 of them. One coin is very rare, because fewer than 20 like it have ever been found. People are now treating it as a special treasure for the whole country.

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