[nikos1121]

Mr. Davies,

Thank you for finding this treasure.

For your services rendered to the British Crown we award you the following:

Five pounds and ten shillings.

Please use this money in good health.

Your Majesty the Queen

[stayathomemom]

I submit the following to enlighten you and others who labor under the misconception that England would “short” the finder. In reality, England has the most enlightened laws on found treasure of any country in the world. English law in this case states that the finder and the landowner in 50/50 partnership will either get the hoard back, or will receive the fair value of the hoard as determined by experts. And found material is valued fairly, as proven by past cases. If a museum desires the material, they have to come up with the money and if they can't do so or don't want the coins, they are returned. If only other countries were so enlightened, ancient coin finds would be reported in other countries, instead of entering the black market. Were I to find such coins in England, I would report them, and would be assured of a fair outcome.

[Vanders9]

Of course, in contrast to the neo-fascist, reactionary, power-crazed British monarchy, the Federal and State Governments of the USA are always completely fair, non-manipulative, and thoroughly caring of the citizens who, after all, are the ones they work for.

Do I even need a /sarc tag? Governments do as Governments do.

The law in Britain on finding hoards is designed purely so that Museums and other academic institutions get first pick on them. And that’s fine as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want the historical heritage of Britain to be completely dispersed to all and sundry purely on the basis of vulgar commercialism. A fair and equitable price will be set by the commission on antiquities, and incidentally, it really IS a fair and equitable price - at least I’ve never heard of any finder complaining about what they got.