I wonder if a calculation was made...
(keep your mouth shut = non-numismatic value - 0 taxes)
vs
(get the coins appraised = numismatic value - taxes)
Probably. But I’d be wary of govt “promises” concerning found property these days. I would not be surprised if the Cali govt swooped in and seized them all under some kind of arcane and little known “rare antiquities of historical value blahblah” statute.