Posted on 02/26/2010 3:55:33 PM PST by Daffynition
A woman who found a 700-year-old silver 'coin' whilst digging in her garden as a child has become the first in the country to be convicted of failing to hand in suspected treasure.
Kate Harding, 23, was prosecuted under the Treasure Act after she ignored orders to report the coin-like artefact to a coroner.
A court heard the silver piedfort marking Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322 was discovered by Miss Harding 14 years ago as she worked in the garden with her mother at their home in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
Following her mother's death a short time later, Harding kept the 1.4gram item as a memento until she eventually showed it to museum experts last year.
The silver 'coin' was identified as a piedfort dating from 1322, which, while not of great financial value, was of historical significance.
Experts are unsure of exactly what piedforts were used for but agree they were not intended to function as currency.
While they are designed around existing coins of the period, they were substantially thicker and it was has been suggested they were used as guides for mint workers, or more likely, reckoning counters for officials.
Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure is defined in basic terms as any single object at least 300 years old which is not a coin but has a precious metal content of at least ten per cent, or when found, is one of at least two coins in the same find of that age and metallic content.
The Act gives a finder 14 days to inform the local coroner of potential treasure and creates an offence of failing to carry out that duty where this is not followed.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Pure craziness....Is the same Britain that could be in for a tussle with Argentina?
I heard today that there are brits starting a "Tea Party" Movement in England. So there is a glimmer of hope. Hail Brittania!
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Thanks Daffynition....a piedfort dating from 1322, which, while not of great financial value, was of historical significance. Experts are unsure of exactly what piedforts were used for but agree they were not intended to function as currency.They're so incredibly historically significant, experts don't even know what they were used for. Give this b- the chair. |
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Finders Weepers
Haven’t they ever heard of finders keepers?
In the US if you find an eagle feather on the ground, and pick it up, you have committed a crime. Catch a fish of the wrong size, you’ll have the F&G SWAT sweating you out of your mountain cabin. Step on an endangered flower in the forest - you are toast. Shoot an attacking bear - if you survive, you (or your expensive lawyer) will have to defend in court.
The abysmal fools creating uncountable laws of insane proportions are not just in England.
That’s my question too.
No. That place flushed itself down the toilet long, long ago.
I’m sure every citizen is aware of the 100000000000000 laws passed by the insane legislators around the world.
I heard today that there are brits starting a "Tea Party" Movement in England. So there is a glimmer of hope. Hail Brittania!
The new three Ss ...Shovel ...Shut Up......and Shut Up!
Ahh, but just not considering the tax rate they have on such things in England, just a guess but I would figure it would be 30% to 50% range. Needless to say, I wouldn't report my extracurricular income to the "coroner" either. But then again I American, we tend to be and anti-tax, anti-government intrusion lot by nature, See Boston Tea Party...
What part of private property don't you understand! My garden,,, My loot. Screw the Government and the horse they road up on!!!
PS, that's why we have guns in the USA.(I have TWO (2) AK47's, among others..) We CAN tell the Gov to piss off! (ps, get use to praying to Allah you bunch of panty waists!)
What if I don't want to sell it and just want to keep it??? Your Gov says screw you, we know better. DAMN I hate uppity government puppets !
That law has actually been on the books for years. EVERYTHING in England belongs to the crown, and ancient artifacts are included in the crown’s possessions.
Technically, she stole it from the Queen.
**What if I don’t want to sell it and just want to keep it???**
Well, Mr. Piper - it’s like this. Unless you are a university-trained elite professional archeologist - you don’t got no bidness - bein’ curious. Jus’ keep your eyes closed and your hands in your pockets when walkin’ thru your proppity. Important stuff belongs to the aristocracy -aka gubmint, and the professional collectors. You are not entitled to wonder about early man aka your ancestors.
Yea,,, and I got something for the "elite"..bunch of aristocrats! (I know you forgot the /s, but I get your drift.)
Here in the USA, we have a saying..... $hit happens.... ;-)
Sorry, Brit experts. Piedforts ARE coins, just as proofs and essais are coins. They have a value and can be spent (or in the case of this one, could have been spent.) Piedforts (or pieforts), essais and proofs are not intended to be spent; contemporary ones are issued by a number of countries INCLUDING THE UK for sale to collectors. However, just as a US gold Liberty can be exchanged for merchandise worth face value, you can spend a piedfort pound.
Just another example of the nanny state terrorizing citizens.
This is the part that I don't understand.
This "treasure" was not "one of at least two coins in the same find of that age and metallic content," and while it might be a "not a coin but has a precious metal content of at least ten per cent," the article says that doesn't have "great financial value."
So that leaves "historical significance." So what is that? Is this a rare thing or are the museums full of them? Is it just "any single object at least 300 years old?" That would describe all of Britain, wouldn't it?
-PJ
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