Roman coin hoard found in UK

[Robert]

Per Coin World, a guy digging a pond in his back yard found a jar containing ~20,000 ancient Roman coins. All are bronze and all seem to be of 3 types so far.

The UK has an interesting "Treasure" law. If you find something like that, the coins become state property and are offered to the British Museum. The finder loses title of the items but gets a reward of "fair market value" for his find.

(I wonder what "fair market value" is for a one-of-a-kind gold piece from antiquity... )

If the British Museum (I posted a link elsewhere) doesn't want the coins, they go to the Bristol Museum because that's the locality in which the coins were found.

UK's laws on found "treasure":
http://www.finds.org.uk/background/treasure.asp

Bristol (UK) Museum website:
http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/Fuguri/frame.html?C+BLM01700+BG+F+CMM00101+DCL00105+BLM00101+BLM01601

[Bob P]

Intersting Robert. I did spend 4 years there in the late 80's and remember vaguely another incident of which a relatively rare Roman pendant was found while they were digging an area for the Channel Tunnel. That piece was actually found by a child who 'played' with it for a few months before someone noticed it and called someone or another. The fair market value on that piece was estimated at 1 1/2 million pounds. I believe the child got a tongue lashing and no dinner for possibly 'damaging' something of such importance.
Finders - Keepers definitely doesn't work in Europe where most countries have similar antiquity laws.

[Robert]

According to that site the "treasure" law has only existed as it is since 1996. I don't know how they handled those finds before that time.

[Robert]

OK, I can't help it. Speaking of "backyard finds" going to a museum, I saw this a few years ago and thougt it was funny. A guy sent several items to the Smithsonian claiming that they are fossil relics and espousing far-out hypotheses on their origins. This is supposedly the Smithsonian's response. Even if this is an urban legend it's still amusing (to me anyway).

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gdavidson/CarbonDatableAssertions.htm

[Bob P]

That letter is priceless Robert! Very funny indeed. Back to the antiquity laws as such, the United Kingdom had in place for many decades, a law pretty much like the new law written in 1996. The main differences between the two were the wording and addition of the 'fair market value' stipulation. I do not believe the 'finders' were given any monetary reward before...only a placard saying when, where, and by whom it was found. I guess it was common to go to someones house and see those antiques sitting on the coffee table without the realization of their value. The reward offered for turning these things in actually increased the number of nice specimens in British museums.

[Gabe]

That letter is funny man! I havent had a laugh like that in a while...

[GarryN]

I put a bid on my first ancient coin today on my bid board. A Constantine copper. The portrait is in pretty good shape .
$6 so far.

[Bob P]

I have well over 200 ancient Roman, Byzantine, and various others in a collection here Garry. They are pretty awesome. I like getting the uncleaned ones and taking the time to clean them up and see what's out there. I have about a hundred or so soaking in olive oil right now...slowly getting to the point of being identifiable. Attributing them is very difficult, but it is one of the things I am working on now. Good luck on your bid!