Thousands of fragments of wooden planks were recovered from the waterlogged soils of Coppergate. Most related to the houses which stood on the site from c. AD 975–1050/75. During cleaning, however, one 'plank' which emerged from the dark soils proved different.

It was part of a wooden gaming board with lines scored into the surface. Originally there were probably five such pieces held together by strips nailed across the ends and sides to form a half metre square board; one strip survived. The board was probably originally divided into 15 rows along each side. The cells are unequal in size, some being squares and some rectangles, but the board would have served well for hnefatafl, a game which required an odd number of 'squares'.