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The UK has similar laws, requiring people who find things defined under the Treasure Act 1996 (except in Scotland) as treasure to report their find to a coroner

The UK has similar laws, requiring people who find things defined under the Treasure Act 1996 (except in Scotland) as treasure to report their find to a coroner within 14 days. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Act_1996 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Act_1996 Finders have to offer the treasure for sale to a museum/similar at a price determined by an independent panel. The UK also has broader, older rules governing "treasure trove", with slight regional variations. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_trove https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_trove The bottom line isn't "finders keepers", but rewards are fair and often handsome. The rules try to strike a balance between public interest/education, common good, and providing an incentive against individual greed.

jansan 6y ago
This makes a lot of sense. These artefacts usually disappear in a museum's basement and nobody actually gives a shit, but officials act as if they have great value. If the museums actually have to shill out some money, it becomes quite clear which artefacts actually do have value and which don't.
- flagrant 6y ago
  This is honestly an abhorrent way to think about archaeological finds. You do not have to ascribe a monetary value to everything you see and our history should not be bought and sold as a commodity.
  - Aeolun 6y ago
    > our history should not be bought and sold as a commodity The thousands, maybe millions of old coins that we find from previous eras are absolutely a commodity, and it doesn’t detract from our heritage in the slightest. The largest set of coins I’ve seen was in the british museum and that was already too much. I think they have one of every variety of coin and it just makes my head spin. Once they have one of each (add another 10 for other musea across the country) the remaining thousands can remain in private hands.

jansan 6y ago

This makes a lot of sense. These artefacts usually disappear in a museum's basement and nobody actually gives a shit, but officials act as if they have great value. If the museums actually have to shill out some money, it becomes quite clear which artefacts actually do have value and which don't.

flagrant 6y ago
This is honestly an abhorrent way to think about archaeological finds. You do not have to ascribe a monetary value to everything you see and our history should not be bought and sold as a commodity.
- Aeolun 6y ago
  > our history should not be bought and sold as a commodity The thousands, maybe millions of old coins that we find from previous eras are absolutely a commodity, and it doesn’t detract from our heritage in the slightest. The largest set of coins I’ve seen was in the british museum and that was already too much. I think they have one of every variety of coin and it just makes my head spin. Once they have one of each (add another 10 for other musea across the country) the remaining thousands can remain in private hands.