Antiquities Laws

[Blind.In.Texas]

I think it is a stupid stupid stupid law for any entity to pass that states that objects of a certain age are off limits, certain values are off limits, unless so deemed by the entity otherwise. What kind of communistic/dictator/imperial crap is that? I mean, if it weren't for the hard work, the logic process, the research that goes into locating some of the places that get discovered, then there would be lots of nice coins and relics that go to rot. I am sure the states don't give a fat rat's a** about some "stupid" wheat penny. I think the states are more concerned about larger caches. See, they can't stop you or take anything from you that was dug up off your land land unless they can prove it was theirs to begin with. They just need a way to entitle themselves to whatever you find without ever lifting a finger.

Here's what I think. The state makes the rules for their lands to work in their favor. Let's say I am working the woods in a state park and I suddenly discover a cache of $50,000. Finders keepers right? Wrong, you go to jail because you violated antiquity laws. Some jerk saw you going out to the woods several days in a row and started watching you. He waits until you start moving tools in. He waits until you have done all the recovery work. Then whammo!! You go down. They will let you dig your own hole.

What do you think would happen to that money? Bubba Joe the County Mounty will end up with some new Deer Fur Socks from the wally-world and a new set of grips for wrangler..... Do you think they want 75% of a pulltab or 98% of this nail? how about splitting this $1.43 in clad I dug off the beach of the state park with me, say, 50/50? that way way I can recover all my damn tax dollars I spent and the friggin fee I paid just to get into the park....

Let's face it. The odds of any one of us finding a nice sized cache is slim. The odds of us finding something really great that would end up somewhere in a museum is probably next to nothing, but, it does terrorize the hobbyist. It forces him/her stay within the confines of his/her corral, hereby known as the Tot Lot and overly hardened City parks, unless they too have oppressive rules toward MD.


I think these laws are set up, honestly, to protect the lands around us and to keep us in check. Without them people would do as they darn well please and the few that got out of hand would ruin for us all. When it comes to rules and laws, the minority, not the majority, will set the pace.....

 

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[Lasivian]

I think there are 2 issues.

#1 Treasure hunters tend to stay in the shadows, and most scientific and government groups just think they're looters.

#2 We have a "Finders Keepers" attitude because usually we get zip if we report finding something.

I'm fond of the British method, you report your find, dig it up, hand it over to a scientific agency, they catalog it all, put it up for bid, and you either get the proceeds of the auction, or whatever didn;t sell comes back to you.

Without demanding a better system things are only going to get worse.

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

Lasivian,

I agree whole-heartedly. I think you are right about the looter part. MDers and treasure hunters have a strong tendency to do their homework. The thing is that people look upon government entities as the sole king of the hill. Top dog. The Big Chief, if you will. This is not always the case. When is the last time the government in this country footed the bill to find any of these lost caches? I can't remember one right off hand. But they would be the first to show anything to the public as part of the HISTORIC RECORD of the area and likely only a mere mention of the finder name. Try telling one of these groups that you have a serious lead to a treasure and you probably won't be taken seriously. Try keeping the treasure that you found and you'll be taken to jail.

These types of endeavours are looked upon by many as childish fantasy that's better left to discovery by accident. The tax payers of this country, I might think, would not want their dollars wasted on such frivolous ventures, buuuuut, should anything be found say WOOOOW!!! what a neat find!!!!

Auction style splitting and revenue sharing would be an awesome idea. I don't think it will ever work here, until as you stated, we demand a better system. The rules here plainly state. IF it's state land then it is state property no matter who finds it. I speak mainly of the state parks because many here have had occurrences of historic value.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Our founding fathers would utterly roll over in their graves on many of the laws our government pass. Majority of things found would remain in the ground deteriorating or lost forever if not found by a private citizen, yet by law thats illegal. They horde, hide, confiscate and out right steal under the guise of protecting history. There are tons of artifacts hidden away in boxes, drawers in warehouses and museums, never to be seen by private citizens.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

We should take a page from the way our friends in the UK handle this issue. It's not to late for us in the colonies to still learn a thing or two from our brothers and sisters across the pond.

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

If you have any information about who to talk to, write to, scream at, insult, annoy and confront, then, by all means PM me. One man can not make a differance alone. One man, however, may motivate the multitudes into a movement that changes things as we know them.

 

[Davisdog]

As a strict libertarian, I rarely find myself agreeing with British law. However, in this case I think they got it just right.

We've all heard about the fellows who MD'd on an English farm and found a cache of Roman coins. They followed the law, turned them into the authorities. The authorities put them up for bid, but got no takers from the museum crowd, so the treasure was returned to the finders. Either way, they would reap a just reward for thier efforts.

I firmly believe that such a system would work equally as well in the United States. All it would take is a mountain of hard work by a lot of people to beat the legislature (federal) into agreement. Who wants to start?

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

I'll start it. I will also need the help of others throughout the duration of the campaign. I was born to confront and I don't care who I need to pester to get what I want. Like I said. If anyone has any ideas as to where to start pushing the right people in the right direction come forward.

I think talks with museum curators, historians, librarians, local officials, the citizens of this great Republic and anyone else who may have an opinion in our favor would be where to start. All areas of the country who have people who are willing to work and spend a little time are welcome to join.

History rots beneath our feet and we have so little time, as, our lives are running out and many of us are getting to the point that we cannot hunt much. At least the we could change the rules for the future of this great hobby and secure our places of entitlement to pass on to others who wish this to continue. Each year brings forth another relic which is no longher identifiable.

Ideas please....

P.S. Thank you to the 15 folks who voted.

 

[Lasivian]

I think we need to volunteer more with archeological digs, police, etc.

And at the same time start a non-profit nationwide group to push for new laws that protect both finds and finders.

I wish I had the time to spearhead such a thing :S