An “incredible” haul of near-century-old coins have been uncovered at a UK nuclear power station site. The astonishing discovery was made at the future site of Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk.
Archaeologists unearthed a bundle containing 321 pristine silver coins from the eleventh century. The team from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology were doing excavations for EDF’s planned two-reactor nuclear power station at the time.
They were astounded to find the treasure – now affectionately dubbed ‘the pasty’ due to its resemblance to the iconic Cornish snack, reports the Express.
Archaeologist Andrew Pegg, who discovered the ‘pasty’, described the thrill of being at the heart of the event. He said: “The Pasty, as it was immediately and affectionately named for obvious reasons, was a true privilege to find.
“I was shaking when I first unearthed it, seeing a single coin edge peeking at me. A perfect archaeological time capsule.”
The team believe the owner may have buried his money after the coronation of Edward the Confessor.
Coin expert Alexander Bliss from OCA reflected on the hoard’s significance: “This new coin hoard provides us with valuable insight into the rich historical backdrop of this period.”
He expressed his honour in contributing to the narrative of the find, adding: “To play a small part in bringing its story to life has been an honour and a privilege.”
The significant find came to light during excavations for EDF’s planned two-reactor nuclear power station which promises to deliver 3.2 gigawatts of energy, enough to power around six million homes.
French energy company EDF is currently developing the site following Labour’s introduction of a £5.5bn subsidy scheme for the project last August, with a final financial decision anticipated within the year.
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