Most of the
proposed changes appear non-controversial, but certain of the proposals that
require permits to metal detect, that create a new offense for purchases of
undeclared artifacts, and declare archaeological finds Crown Property, are
potentially very problematic.
A permit
requirement could be used to preclude detecting from “archaeologically
sensitive areas,” which could mean everything.
The proposed new
criminal sanction could catch unwary buyers of
objects that did not realize they were buying "treasure." Moreover, collectors should oppose the proposal's efforts to shift the burden of proof in a criminal matter.
Declaring all
finds crown property may be a way to avoid paying fair market value for finds
the State retains.
If you are a metal
detectorist, an ancient coin collector, or just think the UK's current PAS and
Treasure Act do a great job of bringing the public, museums and
archaeologists together in a joint effort to record and preserve the past,
please consider commenting.
1 comment:
I have had two treasure finds one a very early gold posy ring with the inscription a+mery+hart+is+lyfe which was vastly undervalued by the TVC (Usual Practise)however I had written offers far in excess of what they were offering which eventually resulted in them offering a final valuation far lower than the offers I had received which left both the landowner and myself feeling cheated.
The second find was of a hoard of Saxon coins that had been in the hands of the Vikings (Confirmed by the acquiring museum Great North Museum of Newcastle)TVC disputed this (Do they know more than the museums?)consequently they devalued the first independent valuation from £3500 to £2500 they also said that some of the coins were damaged this happened while they were in the hands of the archaeologists, not my fault but financially penalised because of someones carelessness. J.Hall Prudhoe
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