The largest haul of Iron Age coins discovered in the UK has been secured for the nation, to be preserved for generations.

The Wickham Market hoard is the largest known and most complete Iron Age gold collection in existence, made up of 840 coins.

They were made around 2,000 years ago by the Iceni tribe whose tribal territory covered Norfolk, north Suffolk and parts of Cambridgeshire.

The coins were buried about two generations before Iceni warrior Queen Boudica led her people in revolt against the Romans in AD60.

Metal-detectorists unearthed the gold in 2008, and the area in which they were found was excavated by Suffolk County Council archaeology service.

Now the coins will go on display thanks to almost £300,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Art Fund and MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund. This will prevent the coin collection being broken up between collectors.

Cliff Green, who owns the pasture where the coins were discovered, said: “I had no idea there was anything of this significance on my land. A metal-detectorist had been working the fields for a while and had found a few bits and bobs but this was a bolt out of the blue.

“I’m very proud that my little bit of land has this historical significance and I’m glad the coins can be shared with the wider public.”

The nationally important archaeological discovery, dec-lared treasure, was bought for Ipswich Museum.

Caroline McDonald, Ipswich Museum’s curator of archaeology, said: “It is very meaningful that the coins will be staying in the region where they were found. This is about how people like us lived 2,000 years ago.”