Births, deaths and ceremonies Treasure
Finding treasure
Looking for treasure
If you use a metal detector then always obtain permission from the landowner before using a metal detector on his/her land. It's a good idea to agree in advance how you will deal with anything you might find. Please check with bodies such as English Heritage before using a metal detector on their property. Council owned common land may also be governed by bye-laws.
If you find something
If you find any ancient artefact (man-made object), take it to your local museum or police station. All treasure finds must be reported to the Coroner within 14 days. In the first instance please report your find to the Coroner’s Officer. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. The Coroner will contact the relevant body to investigate your find.
You will need to have as much as possible of the following information available when reporting your find:
- Your name and contact details
- Date of find
- Location of find (including a map reference if available)
- Name of land owner
If the find is declared to be treasure then it may be claimed by the Crown, and if so, the Treasure Valuation Committee will value the find and you will be awarded the full market value of the treasure.