Hoarding a golden potential

Image reproduced from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Flickr gallery "The Staffordshire Hoard", http://www.flickr.com/photos/finds/3931740116/in/set-72157622378376316/

Birmingham has four months to help raise £3.285 million to keep the Staffordshire Hoard in the Midlands after the 1,800 pieces were valued by a committee of experts at £3.285 million, Birmingham determined to hold on to historic gems.

Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent City Council's are seeking to exhibit the pieces and have so far raised £40,000 towards their total.

Keeping the hoard in the Midlands is very important with the collection being a major tourist draw and allowing a centre for the study of Anglo-Saxon culture to be established at the heart of the Mercian kingdom.

Councillor Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for leisure, sport and culture, said: "The vast majority [of the money] will come through various heritage organisations."

Mr Mullaney said meetings have been taking place with various groups, including the British Museum and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

He added: "We've got four months in which to raise this money. It's going to be very challenging. It's a lot of pressure.

"The economic benefits will be absolutely enormous. You saw the queues when we had them at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and [they] will be going to Stoke in February." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8382360.stm

More information on the finds can be found at http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/ with a Flickr gallery of the hoard here: The Staffordshire Hoard