Interesting article Jack, thanks for sharing. Almost makes me want to run out and purchase a metal detector but then I read the last line in the story.
Very interesting story thanks Jack :thumb: To the left is one of my detecting find's regards Harry :stooge:
Troubling though that they do not have a "Treasure Trove" law in place in Netherlands like they do in Great Britain. The "Treasure Trove" insures that these finds are cataloged etc. and that museums get choice of the finds. The finders are compensated for the finds - an important incentive to reporting the finds in the first place. Without such a law in place - finds can be looted and sold off without cataloging and documentation. As an example, I have a 17th century Irish token that was found in Shropshire England by a detectorist last year. A 17th century token is not typically reported under the "Treasure Trove" act, but this one was because it was an Irish token and was a rather unusual find even in rural England. Because it was reported and documented, when I purchased the piece I have a complete record of when, where and by whom it was found. The seller had to get an export license, but all the documentation on the otherwise common piece to be found in Ireland, but this was found in England, makes it all the more fascinating.
I think treasure trove laws are both good and bad...If I do the work to find the coin, pay the land owner for the right to detect and make a deal with them, I should be able to keep what I find. I can understand them wanting me to REPORT the find and even me letting them catalog it...even give them a chance to buy some of it...but I think, if you take the time and effort to look for treasure, it should be mostly yours in the end...I have found many countries go WAY over board in restrictions and all that does is make sure people dont report good finds...I know I probably wouldnt in a country that has a law that says anything I find can be taken from me. There is a guy on another forum who lives in a great place in the balkans, close to an ancient roman settlement where he finds a good bit of Roman and middle ages artifacts and coins...its against the law for him to even LOOK for these things and certainly if he finds them and doesnt turn these things over then he is in trouble with the law (he had a few brushes already)...that will NEVER inspire people to work WITH you by just labeling a person who wants to keep much of what they find a criminal. this is a good case...this guy found them and is allowing researchers to have all the time they want with these coins (and what an historical find it is): Maastricht city spokeswoman Carla Wetzels said the value of the coins is not known — their worth is primarily historical. The Belgian cache of similar size was estimated at around 175,000 euros ($220,000). The farmer who owned the land agreed to sell his interest to the city for an undisclosed sum. Curfs, a teacher at a nearby junior college, continues to own the 11 coins he found, but has lent them to the City of Maastricht on a long-term basis. The coins will go on display at the Centre Ceramique museum in Maastricht this weekend. The thing I hate about these stories is that the photo of the hoard is always so small that you cant make anything out...I want to see the actual coins close up!!
The problem in the Balkans and even in Ukraine, it is illegal to excavate the coins without a permit. But where there is a will there is a way and it happens anyway so just look on major ancient coin site and you get the picture... there are plenty of coins available. So when the laws are too punitive they actually result in performing exactly the inverse of what they are supposed to accomplish - the looting and indiscriminate destruction of find locations - not to mention losing the historical aspects of the finds. The Treasure Trove law is not perfect, but it is one of the best and most fair programmes available.
Indeed, and I often have to explain to some of my more, shall we say, vehement AIA friends that the harsher the laws, the more slips through our fingers. Althoughm, it could be worse. I was reading a volume of Coin Hoards last night, one caught my eye. "1979, Ukraine. AE ???. Man sentenced to three years in labor camp for not reporting 'treasure'."
Here is a link to a recent Roman hoard found over here in the UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7699953.stm
Here is a little more info on the find from this article: A total of 39 gold and 70 silver coins were found dating from the 1st Century BC. The man that discovered the cache found 11 of the coins and owns those 11. I suppose he lost any claim to the other 98 coins because he let others in on the find. Oh, well.
@Drusus: as you want to see some of the coins in close-up: some of these coins are put on the Dutch coin and detectorforum. Here's the link and enjoy: http://www.muntenbodemvondsten.nl/index.php?topic=47591.msg292098 Comments are in Dutch, I am afraid...
If the link that Bart posted does not work (I can view the page but not the images), try this one: http://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/article1091477.ece/Keltische_goudschat_ontdekt_bij_Maastricht The text is in Dutch of course, but just click the photo (which shows part of the found coins) to view a larger image. Christian
World Coin News and Numismaster.com seem to have just gotten word of this find: Celtic Hoard Found in Netherlands
