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Real lucky find: Möllenbecker discovers rare Benno brooch!
On November 13th, 2025, an important find took place in Möllenbeck: the Benno brooch from the late 11th or 12th century.
Real lucky find: Möllenbecker discovers rare Benno brooch!
What a remarkable find! In Möllenbeck, a small settlement in the town of Rinteln, detectorist Willi Köster from Ahnsen recently discovered a fascinating historical coin brooch that dates back to the late 11th or 12th century. This brooch, known as the “Benno Brooch,” is considered one of the region's most valuable finds. It was found on September 27th and has already been given as a significant loan to the local museum, where it will soon be exhibited. SZLZ reports that the Benno brooch was originally cast from brass and the front is decorated with gold-plated details.
In the past, Möllenbeck was not only known for its incomplete settlement history in the Weser area. A monastery was founded here as early as 896. The Ottbergen desert existed in the early Middle Ages and was probably abandoned due to the “Magdalen flood” in 1342. Stones from the former church in Ottbergen were later used to build the Ellerburg. The settlement has an exciting, if fragmented, history that fascinates researchers and history lovers alike.
The meaning of the Benno brooch
The Benno brooch has great significance for local history as it is one of fewer than 40 examples discovered so far across Europe. Daniel Lau, municipal archaeologist, described the discovery as outstanding and emphasized that this is the third Benno brooch to come from the Ottbergen region. An inscription around the image of Emperor Henry III that reads “Benno me fecit” indicates the origin and social significance of these decorative pieces at the time.
The find also shows how active detectorists are in the area around Ottbergen, where they are searching for further historical relics with permission. Academia has a lot of information about the locations and records of such finds in Europe, including some important pieces from different regions.
Scientific classification
The Benno brooch is recorded in various numismatic catalogs, such as the coin finds catalogue Numismatic Commission, which provides a comprehensive overview of historical coin finds. The commission's online database now includes around 60,000 individual entries and enables extensive research into finds.
In summary, it can be said that the discovery of the Benno brooch in Möllenbeck is not only a shining example of the luck of the detectorist for the finder Willi Köster, but also a valuable treasure for regional history and culture, which is likely to rekindle interest in research into bygone times.