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OMG! Buried Treasure!

That's amazing. It makes you wonder what happened to the original owners so that they'd abandon that much gold in the middle of a field. Perhaps they buried it to keep it from being looted in an attack but didn't survive it?

Edit: Either that or this is junk left over from a Renaissance Faire.
 
I was under the impression that metal detectors couldnt detect precious metals. Is that just the cheap ones like the one I used as a kid, or am I just wrong?
 
I would have melted it all down and sold it! Now the government will just keep it and give the finder nothing close to the millions it's worth!

All those years spent on finding treasure, and when he finds it, he's probably only allowed to see it once!
 
Abstract said:
I would have melted it all down and sold it! Now the government will just keep it and give the finder nothing close to the millions it's worth!

All those years spent on finding treasure, and when he finds it, he's probably only allowed to see it once!
Click to expand...

I thought the rule was in the U.K. was that you'd get a percentage of the value of the items you find. That's the only way people would likely turn in treasure like this.

Besides, the melt value of this find wouldn't be nearly as much as the archeological value of the material. It would literally be horrible to melt these artifacts down. I imagine with all the people scouring the countryside for treasure that precious artifacts have been melted many, many times just for a nominal gold or silver value.
 
barkomatic said:
That's amazing. It makes you wonder what happened to the original owners so that they'd abandon that much gold in the middle of a field. Perhaps they buried it to keep it from being looted in an attack but didn't survive it?

Edit: Either that or this is junk left over from a Renaissance Faire.
Click to expand...

It probably wasn't a field 1400 years ago. The area where it was found was largely covered by the great Forest of Arden in Anglo-Saxon times.

Abstract said:
I would have melted it all down and sold it! Now the government will just keep it and give the finder nothing close to the millions it's worth!

All those years spent on finding treasure, and when he finds it, he's probably only allowed to see it once!
Click to expand...

It will be valued by the British Museum and the chap who found it and the landowner will share the proceeds.
 
Unspoken Demise said:
I was under the impression that metal detectors couldnt detect precious metals. Is that just the cheap ones like the one I used as a kid, or am I just wrong?
Click to expand...

OR there is no buried treasures in your area.


Abstract said:
I would have melted it all down and sold it! Now the government will just keep it and give the finder nothing close to the millions it's worth!

All those years spent on finding treasure, and when he finds it, he's probably only allowed to see it once!
Click to expand...

In most countries the government would have to pay fair market value for the find if the government want to keep it.

Remind me not to let you touch any of my stuff. =p
 
Abstract said:
I would have melted it all down and sold it! Now the government will just keep it and give the finder nothing close to the millions it's worth!

All those years spent on finding treasure, and when he finds it, he's probably only allowed to see it once!
Click to expand...

You cant just value everything in $ signs.
 
OllyW said:
It will be valued by the British Museum and the chap who found it and the landowner will share the proceeds.
Click to expand...

Yep, according to R4 a market value would be determined but only up to 50% of that will be paid out.

Who knows how much this hoard would otherwise actually achieve in an open auction...
 
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