UK metal detectorists found guilty of hiding golden Anglo-Saxon haul

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/uk-metal-detectorists-found-guilty-173241819.html
Of course governments want their share for "historic" reasons.
When it comes to ancient artifacts, the UK has one of the most progressive policies for dealing with treasure hunters. I hope these guys lose all claim to the hoard as punishment.
According to the BBC World News, one of them got 8.5 years and the other got 10 years in prison.
Should be finders keepers I reckon, that long in Prison is very harsh.

Mike
Referee for Australia & New Zealand Coins & Exonumia, Papua New Guinea & Cocos & Keeling Islands Coins & Australian Banknotes. I Collect > Australia, UK & Dependancies, NZ Sets, USA & Euros plus Misc Exonumia.
What's not included in the article is if they were also trying to cheat the landowner out of his share, typically 50%. You really ought not to be doing that it's just not LOGOS!

If I found such a hoard in the Auld Country, I'd probably declare it to the Crown. At least you know you won't get screwed over by the far more honest UK Government. I know that of which I speak, I'm a former UK civil servant and proud to say, entirely incorruptible.

Here in the US it's a very different picture. The Federal Government is almost entirely a bloated, oppressive monstrosity from top to bottom. 75% is just inept hires with no show jobs (if you've ever been to the DMV... yeah, those guys) but there's also a lot of dirty money and back room favors. It's a big sleazy club and you ain't in it. If you think those greedy bastards won't come up with some way to cheat you out of your share you really haven't been paying attention. Duckgo "eminent domain" and "Hunter Biden". Bipartisan crooks. I'd put it right back in the ground before I'd give it over to the Feds.

The matter is further clouded because many US properties are sold with mineral rights which pretty much means if it's within your boundaries you own it. Unless it's oil and Texaco wants it, in which case they'll kick you out, knock your home down and help themselves. (See Eminent Domain above and Catch 22, the book not the movie).

P.S. That's three obscure(?) cultural references in one post. I impress myself sometimes. George Carlin and Joseph Heller and Owen Benjamin - I think I'm on the side of the angels. Sorry PJ, just couldn't fit you in.
Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
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I have conflicted views on this. UK is clear ancestor to Anglo-Saxons so state interest is underatandable. In my country, whatever is found belongs to the state. With that in mind, I would never declare Roman treasure for example, unless I would be approached by Roman praetorian and forced to do so.
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Quote: "Jarcek"​I have conflicted views on this. UK is clear ancestor to Anglo-Saxons so state interest is underatandable. In my country, whatever is found belongs to the state. With that in mind, I would never declare Roman treasure for example, unless I would be approached by Roman praetorian and forced to do so.
​You'd look great sitting in Chez Jarek, drinking beer and watching TV while wearing a 4th century Roman helmet.
Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!  
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought that if they had declared the treasure to the coroner the state would value the find and almost certainly purchase it from the finder and land owner.
I.e £2-3 million or maybe a slightly less black market value, so that the finds could be displayed in a museum and forever be available for the public to view and learn from.
The land owner would have received 50% with the other 50% going to the honest detectorists who dug it up, instead those two decided to get maximum value for themselves and f*^+ everyone else. A crime to be punished by law, I can only hope that the 90% of the coins already sold to numistic enthusiasts are returned, sadly I don't think this will happen.

From what i know the U.K. has some very good laws which allow detectorists to carry out their hobby legally to keep anything they find (as long as it is not classed as treasure) and help preserve and enhance the history of the UK at the same time. In other countries it is far more complicated, and in some it is actually illegal to use a metal detector.
Great Story either way, but it sounds to me they would of gotten a better deal in the end going the legit way, now they've lost everything and off to prison to boot.

If ye reside in a country than by default you're obligated to follow its laws, but those bagging on the U.S. here crack me up. For the most part it is finders keepers here which is arguably more fair than handing your prize you worked for over to a bloated royal government lol.
In fact an entire case of Silver Bullion was found here in the U.S. and was reported , the person reporting the find got to keep the entire find as there was no record of it's loss, therefor no legal claim to it.. so much for people claiming how much worse it would have been here in the U.S. LOL
There are many excellent finds in the U.S. where the finders get to keep it all.
I thought that most state's DMVs are manned and operated by state or local employees, including Florida. There is a difference between the Federal Government and the State and Local Government employees. The Federal Employees are better trained, educated and paid for their service. BTW mentioning Hunter Biden in this forum is inappropriate and probably violates Numista guidelines.

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