Rare coin from reign of Norway’s King Olaf found for first time since 1924 among Viking hoard

NOVEMBER 5, 2026 16:06Updated: NOVEMBER 5, 2026 16:08A rare coin minted during the reign of Olaf Haraldsson was discovered among the largest Viking Age coin hoard ever found in Norway, the Museum of Cultural History of the University of Oslo announced in October.Haraldsson, also known as Saint Olaf or Olaf the Holy, ruled Norway between 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title “Eternal/Perpetual King of Norway” and canonized a year after his death in 1030.His sainthood led to the widespread adoption of Christianity by Scandinavia's Vikings.The artifact was identified by archaeologist Anne Skogsfjord while cataloguing coins from the Mørstad Hoard, which was discovered by metal detectorists Vegard Sørlie and Rune Sætre in Rena in April.At first glance, the coin appeared to be of an Anglo-Saxon origin, and had originally been sorted into a group of coins issued by Æthelred II. Æthelred reigned twice as King of the English: the first, between 978 to 1013, and his second, from 1014 until his death in 1016.Associate Professor Florent Audy. (credit: Tea Kristiansen / Museum of Cultural History)However, Skogsfjord noticed the inscription on the coin to be of a slightly later origin.Minted after Anglo-Saxon pennies“I could see that it read ONLAF R+ NORMANORV…could this really be a coin of Olaf Haraldsson that I was holding? And it was!” said Skogsfjord. “It was a very special moment. I realised that we had found a national treasure.”On one side, the coin features a portrait of Haraldsson: a left-facing bust wearing a conical battle helmet, with an inscription reading ONLAF R+ NORMANORV, meaning “Olaf, King of the Norwegians.”On its other side, the coin depicts a cross on three steps, inspired by Byzantine coinage.The design appears to have been modelled on Anglo-Saxon pennies minted during the reign of Cnut the Great around 1024–1030.“Olaf Haraldsson himself decided what these coins should look like, and perhaps he was present when they were struck,” noted Gullbekk. “It is entirely possible that this very coin from Mørstad was once held in the king’s own hand.”Less than 20 coins minted during the reign of Haraldsson have survived until today, with most being found outside of Norway.Out of those, only four coins similar in type to the one located in the Mørstad Hoard have ever been found, only one of which was found in Norway during the restoration of church ruins at Stein in 1924.“For those of us interested in Norway’s earliest monetary history, it hardly gets any better than this,” explained Numismatics Professor Svein H. Gullbekk. “Here we have a coin bearing the king’s portrait and a cross, with another cross on the reverse. It is a Christianisation coin on a grand scale.”“We can see how King Olaf used coinage to legitimise the new faith and to establish himself as a Christian king of European standing. This is branding,” said Gullbekk.Coin was used commerciallyThe coin is believed to have been minted around 1024–1028, towards the end of the Viking Age. Both sides of the coin also bear small cuts, likely made with a knife, indicating that it had been used commercially.“This was a way of testing the silver content during payments and other transactions,” explained Associate Professor Florent Audy. “On that basis, we may assume that the coin changed hands several times during the approximately 20 to 25 years between its production and its deposition in the Mørstad Hoard.”“That is yet another fascinating chapter in the coin’s history.”Director General of Norway’s Cultural Heritage Directorate Hanna Geiran praised the discovery as an extraordinary find.“When you think this Viking treasure cannot become any more exciting, new surprises emerge,” said Geiran. “This St. Olav coin is yet another reminder of how extraordinary this find is.”“The coin is not only a rare object, but also tangible testimony from a time when the foundations of the Norwegian kingdom and the Christianisation of the country were laid.”The coin is slated to go on display as part of the upcoming exhibition on the Mørstad Hoard at Norway’s Historcial Museum on November 20.Follow us on Google