Releasing its annual report at the British Museum, the Portable Antiquities Scheme declared its millionth find since it was launched 17 years ago – a Roman coin in a remarkable hoard of 22,000 found in Devon.

© The Trustees of the British Museum

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

© Birmingham Museums Trust

© Courtesy Portable Antiquities Scheme

Organisers also announced a grant of nearly £800,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The money will create a national network of up to 50 trained volunteers, increasing opportunities for archaeology in communities with a particular focus on inspiring new participants.“The sheer variety and diversity of finds registered over the scheme’s 17-year history is extraordinary,” said Neil MacGregor, the museum’s Director, calling the hoard discovery “truly exciting”.“The success of the PAS and finds.org.uk cannot be overestimated in terms of our understanding of our past.”Two of the largest ever Viking Age hoards found were recorded through the PAS.The Vale of York Hoard (682 objects) and the Silverdale (Lancashire) Hoard (201 objects) were found during the past decade.The largest Viking hoard ever found was the Cuerdale Hoard, which had more than 8,600 objects when it was unearthed in 1840.Both hoards, of early 10th century date, highlight the extent of Viking expansion across England.This copper-alloy object, probably dating to the 18th century, shows a copulating couple.The object has movable parts, so as to cause amusement. Such bawdy objects are not uncommon, and shed light on entertainment and humour at this time.One of the smallest objects recorded by the PAS, this was found in East Yorkshire with a diameter of just six millimetres.It is struck in the name of King Kanthirava Narasa, who reigned from 1638 to 1662.Two of the largest ever Bronze Age hoards were recorded through the scheme: the Langton Matravers (Dorset) Hoard (777 objects, found in 2007) and the Boughton Malherbe (Kent) Hoard (352 objects, found in 2011).Such hoards were once thought to be metalworking scrap but archaeologists now believe they were deposited ritually, perhaps as offerings to lost gods.Britain’s oldest found papal bulla, a lead-seal from a document issued in the name of Pope Paschal I (reigned 817-24), probably granting land or office.Papal bullae are relatively common finds, many of which probably found their way into the ground when the documents to which they were attached were destroyed during the Reformation.This one was found in Cheddon Fitzpaine in Somerset. The lead seal, issued in the name of Pope Paul II (reigned 1464-71), would originally have been attached to a decree or document granting privileges.The design of the pope enthroned, flanked by his cardinals and with his flock before him, is unique.This image is also intriguing since Paul was criticised for this abuse of appointing cardinals in secret so as to advance his personal interests. The seal has been acquired by The Museum of Somerset.A Lower Palaeolithic flint biface dating from between 400,000 to 150,000 BC.Conversely, this is one of the largest objects recorded: a French cannon, found in Cardiff, which was perhaps captured at the Battle of the Nile in 1798.It measures 2.8 metres in length.Mudlarking on the Thames foreshore has brought to light many artefact types less commonly found elsewhere, including lead-alloy medieval pilgrim badges and post-medieval toys.This Medieval lead alloy pilgrim badge of Calvary from Gottsburen, Germany, is dated to AD 1450-1500. It was donated to the Museum of London.The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest ever Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold and silver, mostly consisting of war-gear, including some object-types that continue to puzzle archaeologists.The range of objects found are challenging orthodoxies of when certain objects were first used.A silver-gilt boar badge helped pinpoint where King Richard III met his death at the Battle of Bosworth in Leicestershire in 1485.Medieval battlefields are often hard to precisely locate, so such archaeological evidence proves crucially important.Modern understanding of several battlefield sites has been revolutionised through the systematic recording of metal-detected finds, including Bosworth (1485) and Naseby (1645).Metal artefacts associated with the combatants has allowed archaeologists to better understand such battles.