The Bitterley Hoard is a significant archaeological discovery in Shropshire, England, and is the largest hoard of medieval and civil war coins found in the region to date. It was unearthed on February 17, 2011, by a metal detector user near the village of Bitterley in South Shropshire. The hoard consists of 137 silver coins with large denominations and one gold coin. These coins were carefully placed inside a high-quality leather purse, which, in turn, was enclosed in an earthen vessel referred to as a "tyg."
The coins within the Bitterley Hoard span a range of monarchs, with the earliest coin dating back to the reign of Edward VI and the latest from the Bristol Provincial Mint of Charles I. This suggests that the hoard was buried after the beginning of 1644, during a turbulent period in English history marked by civil war and political upheaval.
On June 28, 2012, the hoard of coins was officially declared a treasure under the 1996 Treasure by Coroner Act for Shropshire. It was subsequently evaluated by the independent Treasure Appraisal Commission of the Ministry of Culture, Media, and Sport. The Shropshire Museum Service has expressed interest in acquiring the treasure for display at the Ludlow Museum. To fund the acquisition, fundraising efforts have been organized through an open subscription by the Friends of Ludlow Museum, allowing individuals and organizations to contribute to the preservation and display of this valuable historical find.
