LONDON (AP) 鈥� When Malcolm Weale saw the tiny, dirt-covered object he鈥檇 unearthed in an English field, he knew it was something special.

In his hand was a silver penny minted during the reign of Guthrum, a Viking commander who converted to Christianity and ruled eastern England in the ninth century as Athelstan II.

For Weale, finding the first silver coin minted by a Viking ruler in Britain was the pinnacle of decades of hunting with his metal detector in the fields and forests near his home in eastern England.

鈥淚 was shaking,鈥� Weale said at the , where the coin was displayed Tuesday alongside other items unearthed by amateur history hunters in 2023 and 2024. 鈥淚 knew that it was a life-changing, incredible, historical find.

鈥淚鈥檇 watched the series 鈥榁ikings鈥� on Netflix, and about a week later I鈥檝e got the Guthrum penny in my hand," he said.

The thrill of finding fragments of history beneath our feet drives detectorists like 54-year-old Weale, who was introduced to the pastime at the age of 7 and 鈥渨as hooked.鈥�

His find was on show as the museum released its annual report on the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a government-funded project that records thousands of archaeological discoveries made by the public each year. The coin sat alongside a set of 3,000-year-old bronze metalworkers鈥� tools, a seventh-century gold and garnet necklace, and a gold signet ring with an intriguing link to Queen Elizabeth I.

They have been officially classed as 鈥渢reasure鈥� by a coroner, meaning they will be independently valued and offered to local museums.

Discoveries by detectorists, as well as beachcombers and mudlarkers 鈥� who search for items on riverbanks 鈥� shine new light into corners of British history. The necklace of glittering gold and garnet pendants found in Lincolnshire, central England, reveals the sophistication of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, and is surprisingly global.

Archaeologist Helen Geake, who serves as a 鈥渇inds liaison officer鈥� for the antiquities program, said that it was likely made in England 鈥� 鈥淓nglish craftsmen were by far the best in Europe鈥� 鈥� with garnets from Sri Lanka.

Andy Akroyd, 49, also struck gold when he was out metal detecting near his home in Bedfordshire, central England.

鈥淲hen I first saw it, I thought 鈥極h it鈥檚 a coin.鈥� Then I saw it鈥檚 a ring, I was thinking 1980s, cheap sovereign ring,鈥� Akroyd said.

It turned out to be a 16th-century signet ring engraved with a phoenix, a mythical bird symbolizing rebirth that was associated with Elizabeth I. Found in an area used as a royal hunting ground in Elizabethan times, it was likely worn, and lost, by one of the queen鈥檚 supporters.

鈥淲hen you find it, your journey is just beginning,鈥� Akroyd said. Then come the questions: 鈥淲hat is this, how is it here?鈥�

When items are declared treasure, their value is split between the finder and the owner of the land where it was found. Detectorists occasionally strike it rich 鈥� last year, a found in southwest England sold for 4.3 million pounds ($5.3 million).

But the vast majority are in it for the thrill of discovery, not the money, Weale said.

鈥淵ou could be a multi-multi-millionaire, but you could never buy that feeling that you feel when you find something,鈥� he said.

Both he and Akroyd say that they will soon be back out tramping the fields, in the mud and 鈥� this is England, after all 鈥� the rain.

鈥淵ou always find the best stuff when the weather鈥檚 terrible,鈥� Weale said.

Both men extol the mental health benefits of the methodical, slow-paced hobby, popularized to a wider audience by the gentle BBC sitcom 鈥� .鈥�

鈥淎ll I鈥檓 thinking about when I鈥檓 out metal detectoring is history,鈥� Weale said. 鈥淜ings, queens 鈥� I鈥檓 totally in the zone. I鈥檓 not worried about bills, or even keeping warm. Sometimes I forget to eat.鈥�

Akroyd said that some days he just sits, watching hares leap and birds of prey soar in the sky.

鈥淚 lost my dad last year. I鈥檒l have a chat to my dad when I鈥檓 out in the field. 鈥楥ome on, Dad 鈥� what way now?鈥欌€� Akroyd said. 鈥淗e never finds me anything.鈥�