On 6 January 2007, David Whelan, a semi-retired businessman from Leeds, and his son Andrew, a surveyor, discovered the Harrogate hoard using metal detectors.

[2] About 30 cm (1 ft) underneath the soil, after parts of a lead chest that had been discovered were excavated, a silver bowl fell from the side of the dig.

[5] The pair were commended for displaying "exemplary behaviour in not unpacking all the objects from the bowl, but keeping the find intact."

[6] The hoard was transferred to the British Museum, where conservators excavated each find to preserve the objects and "contextual information.

[8] The hoard consists of 617 silver coins and 65 other items,[3] including ornaments, ingots and precious metal.

[3][5] A rare gold arm ring (possibly from Ireland[5]), and hacksilver (fragments of cut metal sometimes used as currency) were also found.

[12][16] In 2012 it formed part of a temporary exhibition at Harrogate's Mercer Gallery before touring to Copenhagen, Berlin and London.

[17] From 2017 it formed part of a touring exhibition titled 'Viking: Rediscover the Legend' and is displayed alongside the Bedale Hoard and the Cuerdale Hoard, with the tour starting at the Yorkshire Museum and subsequently including Atkinson Art Gallery and Library in Southport, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Norwich Castle Museum, and the University of Nottingham.