That gov’t is thievery? That’s what I get out of the story. If I found it, there is no way I’d notify the biggest thieves in town about it.
I imagine there are pretty hefty penalties for not notifying the proper authorities.
Proper Authority: “Mr LibWhacker, that looks like some mighty fine gold you have there. Now how did a man of your means accumulate such a bit of gold?”
Mr LibWhacker: “Up yours government man, none of your business.”
PA: “Well now, we were speaking with Shaun O’Connor at the Bull and Boar and he tells it that you let slip that you’d dug up some ancient gold finery. But nevermind Mr LibWhacker, I’ll be taking you and your gold to the Yard for further investigation.”
I believe the government compensates the finder for the items found. Maybe not as much as an auction would but items like this are utterly priceless one-of-a-kind artifacts that would be a tragedy for them to be hidden away in some billionaire’s private mansion in South America or something like that.
Agree.
I’d melt it down.....................