Yes especially in England. Isn’t their a law that states anything found on English land belongs to the crown? I remember that happened to to 2 guys who found coins on a farm and the government took the coins away.
They took them away after convicting them of hiding it from the government. In England, they appraise the value and give the finders a flat percentage. With that set-up, being honest is the best way to be.
I think you are right. I don’t think people actually own land in England, but it is more like a lease as long as they pay their taxes on it.
The guys you mention are probably still kicking themselves in the butt.
I think the crown has first dibs on found coins, but they have to pay the owner fair market value for the coins.
In a case where someone finds coins in a field, the guy with the metal detector and the farmer split the money.
Again, the government has first right of refusal.
The “treasure trove” laws apply if you dig it out of the dirt. If you find it in a house, it may be deemed to have passed down from the original owner to successive owners.
Yes. Not all relics found are considered treasure, but whatever is found has to be reported to the local Finds Liaison Officer or the Coroner. According to the link below, they have 14 days in which to report their find.
It is a fairly long process from reporting the treasure, to the final disposition of the find.
Export Barred on Roundel Manuscript Gifted to Queen Elizabeth I
A while back, singer Kelly Clarkson bid on a turquoise ring that belonged to Jane Austin, and it was banned from leaving the UK.
Jane Austen ring to stay in the UK after export ban
They can't ban the bidders, so they do the next best thing, they ban the export of the items they don't want leaving the country.