Every detectorist dreams of the signal that turns out to be a gold coin or a hoard. If it happens to you, what you do in the next few hours and days matters: for the archaeology, for your reward, and because failing to report treasure is a criminal offence. Here’s what to do, step by step. This guide covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland is different, and we cover it at the end.
Is it treasure?
Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure broadly means:
- Objects at least 300 years old (other than coins) with at least 10% gold or silver.
- Groups of coins at least 300 years old: two or more with at least 10% gold or silver, or ten or more of any metal.
- Groups of prehistoric base-metal objects found together.
- Objects found with treasure, such as a container.
- Since 30 July 2023, objects at least 200 years old that are partly made of metal and give an exceptional insight into history, archaeology or culture.
If you’re not sure, treat it as possible treasure and report it. The experts will decide.
Step 1: On the spot
- Stop digging if you’ve found a hoard or several objects together. How objects lie in the ground tells archaeologists a lot. If you can, leave what’s still in the ground in place, cover the hole, and contact your Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) so it can be excavated properly.
- Record the exact location with a GPS app or phone map. Take a photo of the spot.
- Don’t clean the find. Cleaning can destroy surface detail and damage fragile metals. Put it in a bag or small container with some of the soil it came from.
- Tell the landowner. They have a legal interest in treasure found on their land.
Step 2: Report it within 14 days
You must report possible treasure within 14 days of finding it, or within 14 days of realising it might be treasure. In England, report it to your local Finds Liaison Officer, part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. You can find their contact details on the Portable Antiquities Scheme website. In Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales can help. Northern Ireland has its own rules through the Department for Communities.
The FLO will record the find, give you a receipt if they take it, and pass it into the treasure process.
Step 3: The coroner decides
A coroner holds an inquest to decide whether the find legally counts as treasure. You and the landowner will be kept informed. If it isn’t treasure, it’s returned, normally to the landowner or to you, depending on your agreement.
Step 4: Museum interest and valuation
If the find is treasure, museums have the chance to acquire it. If a museum wants it, the Treasure Valuation Committee, an independent panel, recommends a market value. You and the landowner can comment on the valuation and submit your own.
If no museum wants it, the find is usually returned, normally to the finder and landowner under the agreement between them.
Step 5: The reward
When a museum acquires treasure, it pays a reward up to the object’s market value. The reward is usually split equally between the finder and the landowner, unless you’ve agreed something different. Some finders and landowners choose to give up their share so a museum can acquire the find at little or no cost.
Your reward can be cut or refused if you acted in bad faith, for example if you didn’t have permission to be on the land, searched a protected site, didn’t report the find properly or on time, or withheld information. That’s the most practical reason to always detect with permission and follow the Code of Practice.
Finds that aren’t treasure
Most finds, like single old coins, buckles and buttons, aren’t treasure. In England and Wales you don’t have to report them by law, but the Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting asks detectorists to record them with their FLO, and doing so has transformed what archaeologists know about the past. Who owns them depends on your agreement with the landowner.
Scotland
Scotland doesn’t use the Treasure Act. Under Scots law, the Crown can claim any archaeological find, and all finds must be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit, except Victorian and 20th-century coins and obviously modern items. Record exactly where each find came from, bag each one separately, and send photos and a report form to the unit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the treasure process take? Often a year or more, from reporting to any reward, especially if a museum is raising funds.
What if I’ve had an object for years and only now realise it might be treasure? Report it within 14 days of realising.
Do I have to report it if a museum won’t be interested? Yes. The legal duty is to report possible treasure. Museums decide what they want afterwards.