Police warn of 'dangerous treasure hunt' off coast (Scotland)

Scotsman ^ | SARAH BRUCE

[nickcarraway]

POLICE have warned people not to endanger their lives treasure-hunting after ancient coins and gold were found off the Scottish coast.

Four divers from Glasgow made the discovery earlier this month while exploring two wooden wrecks.

They took ashore samples of gold and coins they had found on the floor of a cave in a sea cliff, believed to be in the Cullykhan bay area, near the Local Hero village of Pennan.

Among the sample of goodies they took ashore were bottles of irregularly shaped granules of 23-carat gold and a box of coins.

A spokesman for Grampian Police said: "Given the dangers of reaching some parts of that coastline from land and sea, we'd advise people not to rush out there."

The bronze coins are badly corroded, but some have markings of an emperor-like figure and a Saltire.

[HKMk23]

Given the dangers of reaching some parts of that coastline from land and sea, we'd advise people not to rush out there...

...until we've had time to go in and clean the place out, ourselves.

[GSlob]

Isn't any treasure trove a Crown property?

[nickcarraway]

ping

[investigateworld]

'

[theDentist]

Among the sample of goodies they took ashore were bottles of irregularly shaped granules of 23-carat gold and a box of coins. The bronze coins are badly corroded, but some have markings of an emperor-like figure and a Saltire.

Ah! That's where I left 'em.

[Rodney King]

The divers were idiots for telling anyone. They should have quietly retrieved it all and sold it in Zurich.

[The Shrew]

IIRC Maritime law has that ANY shipwreck is a "finders keepers - losers weepers" scenario. There was a case in the late '80's in which a modern container ship ran aground off of Land's End, England. The locals stripped it while the crew was off seeking assistance. Her Majesty's Court supported the locals.

Regards,

TS

[rahbert]

Better check your Scottish Law..

[DJ MacWoW]

ping

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[yarddog]

Uder Scottish law, the coins are either:

1.The Queen's,

2.Yours but under control of the Crown,

3.Not proven the Queens, but hers anyway.

[Gil4]

A quick call to Sen. Specter's office should get us all the info we need.

[Androcles]

I think they modernised it recently so that instead of the crown seizing it and paying a pittance, the goods had to be independently cvalued and a large percentage of value paid to the finder. Unsurprisingly, finds soared as people stopped concealing them...that's from memory and anecdote though.

[Atchafalaya]

LOL!!!

[FairOpinion]

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list -- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.

I will ping the GGG list until July 2, 2005, during SunkenCiv's temporary absence from the board.

If you see articles appropriate for the GGG ping list, please ping me.

[hershey]

Just what I was thinking.

[Bob J]

Times have changed. Wrecks are not considered "abandoned" anymore and any treasure found in a wreck that is buried (even partially) in the sand is legally considered the property of whatever state that claims jurisdiction. This doesn't even get into the claims of who the rightful owners may be, much less the insurance companies if they paid claims on losses due to the sinking.

The best bet is to negotiate with the State prior to bringing up any booty (don't even let them know you found anything) and give them their 25% with a smile.

[The Shrew]

Thanks for the update.

Regards,

TS

[SunkenCiv]

Saltire? What is that? Used in a sentence -- "Those who stayed on the boat enjoyed the Saltire"...