Honestly, how you split this scenerio with the owner?

[mtntrekr2]

Maybe it will be a mistake as my partner says but I feel better.
I just entered into an agreement with a guy I work with. He owns a farmhouse on 4 acres of ground. The house was built in 1900 from the wood of a barn that stood behind where the house now stands. there were several out buildings on the property, including two wells and a spring with 2 ponds. The history of the place goes back to the 1700's and being used by local indians for the springs.

The agreement is that we hunt the property and we keep everything we find giving him 50% of the fair market value for anything we find. This lets us keep all coins and rings and whatever. I wlll have to give him any pulltabs as he saves all scrap metal for the junk yard. The only thing he had to say was that if we found his moms diamond from her ring we would have to give it to him. I explained that the chance was slim as we all know the reason but if we should be digging in the spot it was lost and we would spot it I would gladly part with it just for the sake of it being sentamental to him.

Kathy had said how do we pay him if we find that 1916D dime or something of great value. I say we sell it on ebay and after fees we split the gains we the owner. Yes we sold the coin but we all have more now than before when the coin was still laying there and waiting for the next dishonest guy to have it all.

Joe

 

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[LadyDigger]

Well, me...I could really care less one way or the other if I keep the items or not. If the owner wants it that much...they can have it all....all I want to do is take pics (which I do as I pull things from the ground, so I can pinpoint more as to where I found that particular item). For me it's the thrill of the hunt, and with doing genealogical research in my area, I'd be happy with pics of items I dug up to put in my book....but I hope the owner, if the artifact is of real historic value..they would see about placing in a museum on loan.

I say this, as digs were done on my husband's property back in 1998...everything found belongs to my husband. There is an exhibit that will be going on (I believe it starts in Sept 2007 through Feb 2008) of paintings by John White. These artifacts found on his property date to the Lost Colony period. The ring, unofficial appraisel (we are looking for someone to do the appraisal as the Raliegh Museum needs to insure it for the display)...unofficial appraisal was $100,000 and the gun flint was $10,000, the coins and other artifacts have not been given a price yet. The ring was carbon dated 400 yrs old...and the owner of the ring has been researched. (They want to use my hubby's artifacts for the showing of John White's paintings..as they all tie into the same time period)...this is only a loan to the museum.

So I guess with personal ties to digs and artifacts, I truly believe they should go to the owner if the owner asks...be honest, be true to yourself!

We recently did a dig at the Pipsico BSA Reservation (and will do another in Oct/Nov). We had to turn over ALL the finds. At first, I was upset (I'll be honest), but now that the hunt is over (and remembering my hubby's dig on his property) and I think of what artifacts we did find (not many, but enough to wet the whistle)...I feel real good about turning it all over (trash included!!!).

That's history of that land and it will be displayed in the BSA Museum up there for all to see and I rather have my finds displayed than stuffed in a box in a room in my house.

So, I have to agree with BioProfessor and Hoss and a few others who posted....Honesty....my Daddy would be rolling in his grave if he knew I was being "less honest" to another and not keeping my word. Don't let temptation get the best of you!!!!

Happy Hunting,
Annmarie