John studied geology before finding his way into archaeology as a digger on developer-funded excavations. He then studied for an MA in Medieval Archaeology, followed by a PhD on the archaeology of Anglo-Saxon trade at the University of Durham where his fascination with coinage began. Since then, he has worked with Prof. Julian D. Richards at the University of York on the Viking and Anglo-Saxon Landscape and Economy project (VASLE). This set out to explore the nature of metal-detected finds assemblages, and to build new ways to interpret the period up to c.1100 through portable antiquities. Alongside coinage, his interests are concerned with broader issues relating to ancient economics, and the evolution of rural and urban settlement in early medieval Europe.