Some of us would do the lawful thing and some of us would not, but all of us would do what's right for our particular situations. Things rapidly become complicated from this point on.
Why do we metal detect, or dowse, or pan, or dumpster dive, or do whatever it is that we do? The answer is simple: we are looking for valuable things. They may not be valuable in a monetary sense, but they're valuable nonetheless or we wouldn't be looking for them. This implies an element of greed. I and others dig up some trash during our hunts, and while we're quick to point out that we're performing a service in doing so, I don't expect that there are too many people here or elsewhere that intentionally dig up trash simply to improve someone else's real estate. We do it accidently or we do it intentionally to unmask targets, but we don't do it just because we're good people. We do it with the expectation of an eventual payment. I can with total honest say that I'm not in this for the money, but if all there was to dig was bottle caps, crumpled up foil, and pull tabs, I would take up another hobby. You would too. Recovering valuables is part of the attraction; remove that part and we'd all find other things to do with our time.
Once we've established why we do these things, we can address what we'd do when we found the proverbial motherlode. What we (you, I, and everyone else) would do is assess our situation and do what's right, and this can vary quite a bit. It also requires a very specific scenario. Who is the landowner? What exactly was found? What is the situation of the finder? It will all matter.
I would probably tell the landowner. I say "probably" because while I don't need any additional income, I certainly wouldn't mind it, and while I could give up a fairly large amount of free money for nothing other than bragging rights and maintaining my own personal integrity, everyone has a price. If I found something that could be easily moved and would provide for my needs for the rest of my natural life, and it was discovered on the property of a person that was also already set up for life...well, that's a very tough question for me. But anything short of that, I would probably tell them. I'd probably get screwed in the process, but my needs would continue to be met, I'd have a great story to tell, and I'd gain much enjoyment from posting pictures about the horde that I found (but had no claim on, nor obligations to) all over the internet and watching the greedy landowner squirm while the vultures went after them.
(It shouldn't need to be said that if they'd decided on a fair division of the fruits of my labor between us, I'd be more than happy to shut up about what was found.)
That's what's right for me. Only you know what's right for you.
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?? Wasn't looking to steal anything of the landowner's. I would never steal anything from any anybody after their hard work.
