I have just seen this from the UK. A lady prosecuted for finding some real treasure and not reporting it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...000-garden-prosecuted-reporting-treasure.html
A woman who found a 700-year-old silver 'coin' whilst digging in her garden as a child has become the first in the country to be convicted of failing to hand in suspected treasure.
Kate Harding, 23, was prosecuted under the Treasure Act after she ignored orders to report the coin-like artefact to a coroner.
A court heard the silver piedfort marking Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322 was discovered by Miss Harding 14 years ago as she worked in the garden with her mother at their home in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
Following her mother's death a short time later, Harding kept the 1.4gram item as a memento until she eventually showed it to museum experts last year.
The silver 'coin' was identified as a piedfort dating from 1322, which, while not of great financial value, was of historical significance.
Experts are unsure of exactly what piedforts were used for but agree they were not intended to function as currency.
While they are designed around existing coins of the period, they were substantially thicker and it was has been suggested they were used as guides for mint workers, or more likely, reckoning counters for officials.
Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure is defined in basic terms as any single object at least 300 years old which is not a coin but has a precious metal content of at least ten per cent, or when found, is one of at least two coins in the same find of that age and metallic content.
The Act gives a finder 14 days to inform the local coroner of potential treasure and creates an offence of failing to carry out that duty where this is not followed.
The prosecution in Ludlow, Shropshire, serves as a warning to so-called 'nighthawkers', who trespass on land under cover of darkness and sell on any finds unearthed using their metal detectors without declaring them to unscrupulous dealers.
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Magistrates heard how she ignored numerous calls and letters from Ludlow Museum advising her to report the piedfort to the district coroner once it had been identified in February last year.
Museum staff then notified Anthony Sibcy, the coroner for South Shropshire, who informed West Mercia Police.
In a police interview Harding claimed she had lost the piedfort.
Mr Edwards said: 'When asked why she had not reported the find she said, 'I don't know, I just had enough going on at the time.'
Brendan Reedy, defending, said, the piedfort was believed to be of no significant financial value.
'We are not talking about something here that is worth anything that is quite important.', he said.
'I don't think there are going to be queues around the block of people to see it.'
The silver piedfort marked Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322
Treasure: The silver piedfort marked Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322
Mr Reedy added that Harding had failed to notify the coroner because of 'disorganisation' on her part and that the artefact had a sentimental value to her.
Harding, who lives with her boyfriend in a flat on the outskirts of Ludlow, admitted having an object that is believed to have been treasure and not reporting it to the coroner.
She faced a maximum penalty of three months in jail or a fine, or both, but walked free from court on Wednesday with a conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £25 of the £300 costs. Harding was not at home to comment yesterday.
Dr Michael Lewis, Deputy Head, Department Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum, confirmed that the case was the first known of its kind in the country to have resulted in prosecution.
He said: 'This is a landmark case and it sends a clear message to those who fail to report Treasure. It shows that the police and the coroners' service give Treasure and archaeological heritage law a high profile and will take proactive measures against those that disregard it.'
Coroners are the only individuals with the authority to declare an item as treasure and Mr Sibcy will now hold an inquest involving a jury to determine it's status. Once it is confirmed as treasure, the piedfort will be valued.
The only three other piedforts found in the UK were all from France. The most recent was discovered in West Clandon, Surrey, in 2007, and was subsequently purchased by the British Museum for £1,800.
Barrie Cook, the British Museum’s Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage, said piedforts could never have been used as currency as they are were heavy.
He said: 'Medieval coins are very thin, but these are several times as thick.'
The Treasure Act was drawn up to replace the medieval law of Treasure Trove, which required inquest jurors to 'read dead minds' in determining whether items had been deliberately buried - in which case they were treasure trove and property of the crown - or accidentally lost.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...000-garden-prosecuted-reporting-treasure.html
A woman who found a 700-year-old silver 'coin' whilst digging in her garden as a child has become the first in the country to be convicted of failing to hand in suspected treasure.
Kate Harding, 23, was prosecuted under the Treasure Act after she ignored orders to report the coin-like artefact to a coroner.
A court heard the silver piedfort marking Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322 was discovered by Miss Harding 14 years ago as she worked in the garden with her mother at their home in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
Following her mother's death a short time later, Harding kept the 1.4gram item as a memento until she eventually showed it to museum experts last year.
The silver 'coin' was identified as a piedfort dating from 1322, which, while not of great financial value, was of historical significance.
Experts are unsure of exactly what piedforts were used for but agree they were not intended to function as currency.
While they are designed around existing coins of the period, they were substantially thicker and it was has been suggested they were used as guides for mint workers, or more likely, reckoning counters for officials.
Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure is defined in basic terms as any single object at least 300 years old which is not a coin but has a precious metal content of at least ten per cent, or when found, is one of at least two coins in the same find of that age and metallic content.
The Act gives a finder 14 days to inform the local coroner of potential treasure and creates an offence of failing to carry out that duty where this is not followed.
The prosecution in Ludlow, Shropshire, serves as a warning to so-called 'nighthawkers', who trespass on land under cover of darkness and sell on any finds unearthed using their metal detectors without declaring them to unscrupulous dealers.
More...
Magistrates heard how she ignored numerous calls and letters from Ludlow Museum advising her to report the piedfort to the district coroner once it had been identified in February last year.
Museum staff then notified Anthony Sibcy, the coroner for South Shropshire, who informed West Mercia Police.
In a police interview Harding claimed she had lost the piedfort.
Mr Edwards said: 'When asked why she had not reported the find she said, 'I don't know, I just had enough going on at the time.'
Brendan Reedy, defending, said, the piedfort was believed to be of no significant financial value.
'We are not talking about something here that is worth anything that is quite important.', he said.
'I don't think there are going to be queues around the block of people to see it.'
The silver piedfort marked Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322
Treasure: The silver piedfort marked Charles IV's ascension to the French throne in 1322
Mr Reedy added that Harding had failed to notify the coroner because of 'disorganisation' on her part and that the artefact had a sentimental value to her.
Harding, who lives with her boyfriend in a flat on the outskirts of Ludlow, admitted having an object that is believed to have been treasure and not reporting it to the coroner.
She faced a maximum penalty of three months in jail or a fine, or both, but walked free from court on Wednesday with a conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £25 of the £300 costs. Harding was not at home to comment yesterday.
Dr Michael Lewis, Deputy Head, Department Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum, confirmed that the case was the first known of its kind in the country to have resulted in prosecution.
He said: 'This is a landmark case and it sends a clear message to those who fail to report Treasure. It shows that the police and the coroners' service give Treasure and archaeological heritage law a high profile and will take proactive measures against those that disregard it.'
Coroners are the only individuals with the authority to declare an item as treasure and Mr Sibcy will now hold an inquest involving a jury to determine it's status. Once it is confirmed as treasure, the piedfort will be valued.
The only three other piedforts found in the UK were all from France. The most recent was discovered in West Clandon, Surrey, in 2007, and was subsequently purchased by the British Museum for £1,800.
Barrie Cook, the British Museum’s Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage, said piedforts could never have been used as currency as they are were heavy.
He said: 'Medieval coins are very thin, but these are several times as thick.'
The Treasure Act was drawn up to replace the medieval law of Treasure Trove, which required inquest jurors to 'read dead minds' in determining whether items had been deliberately buried - in which case they were treasure trove and property of the crown - or accidentally lost.
this is were the Treasure act fails, while I agree with the general principle of the act, certain things should be left out. who in there right mind would declare 2 Eddy pennies 
It gave us rights not took them away. Without it the stuff is either the landower or the Queens.
I guess this way of governing is why our four-fathers left. I really shouldn't laugh,(but I can't help it), as some of these "DIMWITS" that run our country, want to institute some of these exact same things. Kinda nice to have a system of checks and balances where no one agency, or branch of government can obtain too much power. Thank God for "The Bill of Rights" and our Constitution.
(only the time to pay you is a bit slow)
