Gold Rush: How much Treasure is found each year ?

New article from the Guardian , here is the paste and Link :


Gold rush: how much hidden treasure is found each year?

If you've ever wondered what the government's definition of treasure is (and even if you haven't) this post will explain all and tell you how much is found where.

   We're used to seeing unusual statistics from government, but this one from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport is a particular rarity; it's all about treasure. Real treasure that is. All 970 bits of it that were discovered in 2011. This is what we found out.
Not what it used to be

The common law of Treasure Trove in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was replaced by the the Treasure Act 1996. Now, the 'finder' is legally obliged to report the object to a local coroner within 14 days who will lead an inquest.

Then it's a waiting game - if it turns out to be treasure, then the finder has to offer it up for sale to a museum. The price is decided by an independent board of antiquities experts. If the museum can't or won't buy the item, the 'finder' has the right to keep the treasure.

Chapter 24 of the Treasure law states:

    Treasure is –

    (a) any object at least 300 years old when found which—

    (i) is not a coin but has metallic content of which at least 10 per cent by weight is precious metal;

    (ii) when found, is one of at least two coins in the same find which are at least 300 years old at that time and have that percentage of precious metal; or

    (iii) when found, is one of at least ten coins in the same find which are at least 300 years old at that time;

Parts (ii) and (iii) above are about coin 'hoards'. The definition excludes unworked natural objects.
More treasure

In 2011, 970 finds were reported - up from 860 in 2010. The map below shows where they were found...
A real treasure map!
What happened to it?

It turned out that 106 of those treasure cases weren't treasure at all. This is what happened to the rest:

    32 were still not decided
    70 were donated
    229 were bought by museums
    423 were disclaimed (that means the Secretary of State has decided that the Crown doesn't have a right to it)

Roman coins and post-medieval objects

733 items of treasure were broadly defined as 'objects' while 860 coin cases were uncovered in 2010. Most of them were from the post-medieval period
Metal detecting beats archaeology

92.7% of treasure was uncovered using a metal detector, compared to a mere 3.4% from archeological digs. Whatever you do, don't leave it to chance though - only 1.7% of finds were stumbled upon by chance.

Another inaccurate romanticism is about woods and water - just 0.3% of treasure is found in woodland and 1.1% in open waters. You're best bet is to head to some good old cultivated land where 82.5% of treasure is found.

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Best Regards.............Eugene

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