A hoard of around 5,200 Anglo-Saxon coins was discovered in the English village of Lenborough, Buckinghamshire.

According to the BBC, the coins are thought to be worth up to £1.3 million ($1.98 million).

The British Museum said it was “The largest Anglo Saxon coin hoard found since the Treasure Act began” in 1996. The legislation stipulates that finders of treasure are obligated to report their discovery.

The coins were unearthed in a protective lead container, and included silver pennies and two cut half pennies depicting the heads of the Kings Æthelred II (who ruled from 978 to 1016) and Cnut (in power from1016 to 1035).

Analyses by experts at the British Museum show that the coins were buried towards the end of Cnut’s reign in 1035.

Some of the coins from the Lenborough Hoard before cleaning commenced. Photo ©the Trustees of the British Museum.

“When I saw the first few coins I was really excited because I knew I had found a hoard,” Paul Coleman, who made the discovery, said in a statement. “The excitement grew and grew as the size and importance of the find became apparent.”

The chairman of Buckinghamshire Museum Trustees, Bob Sutcliffe, was delighted by the discovery. “This is an incredible find for Buckinghamshire, and a unique opportunity for us to learn more about the origins of Buckinghamshire in Anglo-Saxon times,” he said. “Someone in the now tiny village of Lenborough had stashed a massive amount of money, almost 1,000 years ago, and we want to know who, and why!”

The coins went on display at the British Museum earlier this week.