Dirty 'button' unearthed by metal detectorist turns out to be a rare 900-year-old coin from Norway's last Viking king ^12%

www.livescience.com - By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - 7/9/2026, 9:19 PM

Hasty Generalization 17.9% - Appeal to Authority 12.3% - Availability Heuristic 12.1%

A metal detectorist in Norway dismissed a rare 900-year-old silver coin as a button, before researchers realized it was a one-of-a-kind piece linked to Magnus Barefoot (also known as Magnus Berrføtt), the warrior ruler often called Norway's last Viking king. The coin, found in a field near Utstein Monastery in southwest Norway, dates to... more