Treasure Act 1996

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The Treasure Act 1996 is an Act of Parliament that regulates the handling of treasure finds in England , Wales and Northern Ireland . He obliges finders of objects that meet the legal definition of treasure to report them to the local coroner within 14 days . An official investigation under the direction of the coroner will decide whether the find is treasure or not. If it is decided that it is a treasure, then the finder must offer the find to a museum for sale. The purchase price is determined by the independent Treasure Valuation Committee . Only if the museum rejects the purchase or is unable to acquire the find can the finder keep it.

definition

Treasure is defined by law as:

  • All coins from the same hoard . A hoard is defined as two or more coins that are at least 300 years old when they are found. If they contain less than 10% gold or silver , then there must be at least ten coins in the hoard to be recognized as a treasure.
  • Two or more prehistoric base metal objects in connection with one another.
  • Every single find that is not a coin, is at least 300 years old and contains at least 10% gold or silver.
  • Related finds: any object of any material found in the same location or related to another object that has been classified as treasure.
  • Objects that are made of gold or silver and that are less than 300 years old, that were deliberately hidden in order to later recover and whose owners or heirs are unknown.

The Treasure Act allows you to set a reward that goes up to the market value of the fund. The reward must be shared between the finder and the landowner or official land user. The amount of the reward and how it should be divided is determined by the Treasure Valuation Committee.

Any finds not recognized as treasure will be treated under the Portable Antiquities Scheme .

Scotland

The law does not apply in Scotland , where treasure finds are treated under the Scots Common Law of "bona vacantia" ("items without an owner").

Finds that fall under the Treasure Act 1996

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Treasure Trove in Scotland. Treasure Trove in Scotland, accessed April 6, 2017 .