The Viking World: A History in Objects

Silver Ingot

This ingot shows how the Scandinavian bullion system was still in effect in Scandinavian Britain during the rule of the Danelaw and perhaps coexisted with the British coin-based system. The ingot was found in December of 2004 in North Yorkshire. It dates to around 850 to 1000 CE and is made almost entirely of silver. There are clear signs that this ingot served some sort of monetary function. The flat shape of the ingot was most likely created by a hammer. The nick marks on the sides of the ingot are evidence that the object was once tested in an attempt to determine if it was silver, a common Norse practice. Furthermore, one end of the ingot ends in a cut, indicating that this may have originally been a longer object that was divided in two. Further support for this theory comes from the fact that the weight of the ingot, 13.34 grams, is roughly half an eyrir, a Norse unit of weight.[1] Therefore, it is likely that this ingot was used as currency in the Danelaw.

The presence of this ingot in an area that was occupied by the Norse suggest that the Scandinavian bullion system that was developed during the Viking Age, including the “standardized” weights, was brought into England during the time of the Danelaw. This system was based around the amount of precious material, like silver or gold, that an object contained rather than the face value of a coin as was practiced in England.[2] Such a system developed during the Viking Age due to the trading and raiding that the Norse carried out, as once they collected their goods, they would not need to exchange these goods for coins. This ingot is therefore particularly interesting as it shows how, even though they were living next to a coin-based system, the Scandinavians either disregarded the face value of the coin and only judged it by its weight, or they used both systems concurrently.

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