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A stroke of luck in Möllenbeck: detectorist discovers rare Benno brooch!
On September 27, 2025, Willi Köster discovered the important “Benno brooch” from the late Middle Ages in Möllenbeck.
A stroke of luck in Möllenbeck: detectorist discovers rare Benno brooch!
A real stroke of luck was recently made in the picturesque community of Möllenbeck, which has an eventful history in the Weser area. On September 27th, detectorist Willi Köster from Ahnsen discovered an amazing coin brooch that was identified as a “Benno brooch”. This particular brooch, dated to the late 11th or 12th century, is the size of a thumbnail and only two-thirds of it survives. The front is cast from brass and gilded, while the inscription “Benno me fecit” surrounds the image of Emperor Henry III. There are clues to the origin. [szlz.de]. This makes the find even more remarkable.
The town of Möllenbeck has an incomplete but fascinating settlement history that dates back to 896, when a monastery was founded here. The remains of the Ottbergen desert, which had a church in the 11th century, bear witness to the former importance of the area. However, the settlement was abandoned around 1350, probably after the flood in 1342, which went down in history as the “Magdalen Flood”. The stones from the old church were later used to build the nearby Ellerburg Castle, showing how intertwined the region's history is.
An outstanding find
The local archaeologist Daniel Lau describes the Benno brooch as an outstanding find and the third of its kind from Ottbergen. He highly appreciates the significance of the brooch, not only due to its rarity but also in its historical context. Four years ago, two important finds were presented in the museum, including another Benno brooch and a gold ring. This shows that Möllenbeck is a hotspot for historical finds, which is fueling interest in further explorations in the region.
Willi Köster, the discoverer of the brooch, made it available to the museum, where it will soon be on permanent loan. This not only brings the history of Möllenbeck, but also its archaeological treasures closer to the public.
Numismatic backgrounds
The Benno brooch is part of a tradition of coin discoveries made over the centuries in various regions of Europe. The find catalogs numerous highlights from numismatic history and contains interesting articles about such finds, as can be read in the “Numismatic News Sheet”. In Europe there are many valuable finds that are kept in various museums. academia.edu documents some of these significant discoveries, which reinforce the interest in numismatic research.
Recording these finds is not only important for science, but also ensures that history stays alive. The Numismatic Commission's catalog of coin finds provides an extensive database with information on over 25,500 coin complexes and enables researchers to specifically track historical developments. numismatic-commission.de offers comprehensive options for researching and maintaining this valuable data.
The discovery of the Benno brooch is not only a personal triumph for the lucky detectorist, but also an important piece of regional history that brings Möllenbeck a little more into the public eye. It will be interesting to see what will be uncovered next from this historic region!