Look at these two examples and spot where the whole system stinks.
Two recent cases have shown the anomalies of the present system of rewards very clearly. The first concerns a hoard of Iron Age gold coins from Donhead St Mary which was declared Treasure Trove in 1987.6 The finder was convicted under 1979 Ancient Monuments Act for metal-detecting on a scheduled site and fined £100. The hoard was subsequently valued at £5,210 and the Treasury decided to reduce the reward to £2,000 in view of the fact that the finder had been convicted for searching on a scheduled monument. Although no museum wished to see the finder receive a reward of £2,000 after he had been convicted of breaking the law, it then became clear that if no museum acquired it the Treasury would return the whole hoard to the finder. In the end therefore the British Museum decided to acquire the hoard as the lesser of two evils. The landowner was aggrieved that he was not entitled to any payment.
The second case concerns a hoard of 282 silver coins of the 17th century found in a house at Burton Overy in Leicestershire, and valued by the Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee in February 1995 at £9,675. The coins were found by electrician while working in the loft of the house: he then handed them to the owner of the house who reported them to the local museum. The hoard was duly declared Treasure Trove at inquest in December 1994 and the finder was named as the electrician. Leicestershire Museums Services have acquired the whole hoard and the owner of the house was not eligible for a reward, although common sense would suggest that he should have been.
Taken from
http://www.amnumsoc.org/inc/treasur2.htm
A very good little article.
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