Joy as Staffordshire Hoard hits £3.3m target

The Staffordshire Hoard will now be on permanent display at museums in the Midlands after fundraisers hit their £3.3 million target almost a month ahead of schedule.

The Hoard, the largest ever find of Anglo-Saxon gold, will now be on display at museums in Birmingham and Stoke.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund, a government funding pot for historical artefacts, pledged £1,285,000 to the campaign, hitting the fund target. The treasures were dug up in a field in Hammerwich, near Burntwood last July.

It was discovered by metal detectorist Terry Herbert and declared treasure two months later.

It contains more than 1,500 items made of gold, silver and precious stones all dating back to the 7th Century.

It was feared the collection could be sold abroad had the fund not hit its target. Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent jointly bid to acquire the Hoard in November and were given until April 17 this year to secure it.

The Art Fund launched the fundraising campaign on behalf of both museums in January this year with a £300,000 grant and pledges of £100,000 each from Birmingham and Stoke City Councils.

Since the launch of the campaign, more than £900,000 has been raised through public donations. Cash sums have ranged from £1 to £100,000 and have come from as far afield as the USA and Japan.

Celebrities including Oldbury comedian Frank Skinner, Michael Palin and Dame Judi Dench also lent their support to the campaign.

Historian and broadcaster Dr David Starkey helped to launch the fundraising campaign in Birmingham on January 13.

Reacting to the announcement, Dr Starkey said: "This is wonderful news for historians worldwide – the Staffordshire Hoard provides us with vital clues to our ancient past."

Experts believe the Anglo-Saxon gold contains many secrets about the Dark Ages and say it could take decades to unlock all the secrets.