Florida legislation for land treasures

[Vox veritas]

Hi there,
what about the land treasures legislation in Florida? You can recover? Any information will be appreciated.
VV

 

[Vox veritas]

What happen if I find a treasure on a beach in Florida?

 

[diggummup]

What happen if I find a treasure on a beach in Florida?

You keep your mouth shut because the state will probably find a way to take it from you, laws or no laws. Welcome to Amerika!

 

[Jon Phillips]

Anything man-made over 50 years old, found on state land is a misdemeanor to "disturb", and a felony to remove....yes that includes pennies, pop-tops, etc., according to the "letter of the law". A very, very, stupid law.....enacted by people with the "Mall Cop" mentality.


Anything found on private property can be kept...according to the agreement between the finder and the landowner...but if it is of great value, I wouldn't be surprised if the state didn't find a way to try and take it....at least the IRS would swoop in and try to tax it.

So best to keep your mouth shut there......hypothetically, in my opinion.

 

[G.I.B.]

Florida Public Archeology Network (Click the link for more info)

Perhaps if we started reporting those archeologically significant 55 year old pennies...

On State or Federal lands, it is not lawful to collect or remove artifacts. The Isolated Finds Policy in Florida has been discontinued and does not allow individuals to keep artifacts discovered in Florida’s rivers. If you do find an artifact, the best thing to do is leave it in place, record the approximate location on a map, take a photo with a well-known object (like a coin) as a scale, and contact your regional FPAN office which can help you properly report the find.



Dr. William B. Lees, RPA - Bio
Executive Director
(850) 595-0051
wlees@uwf.edu

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Anything man-made over 50 years old, found on state land is a misdemeanor to "disturb", and a felony to remove....yes that includes pennies, pop-tops, etc., according to the "letter of the law"......

Jon, and let me guess: There's state appointed mathematicians that follow md'rs around on the beach, and in the state parks there, who jump out of the bushes, ...... calculator in hand ..... to do the math on the age of each coin you or I find ?

ya know, I've been at this for nearly 40 yrs now, and I'll have to let y'all know: That in all that time, I have YET to ever have someone riffle through my apron, with a calculator in their hand, checking the >50 yr. versus < 50 yrs. status of any coin or object I've found. I suppose if anyone here is really that all-fired worried about this potential, then either a) put the older coins in your "other" pocket, or b) put coins older than 50 yrs. old back in the ground.

Warning: if you go to 7-11 to get a slurpee, be VERY careful to check the dates on the coins they give you in change. It's entirely possible you (gasp) get a coin back that exceeds 50 yrs. in age. Oh no !!

 

[Jon Phillips]

A 7-11 is't state owned property chief....and I never said anyone followed anyone around...I said "the letter of the law"....which you are constantly telling people to look up for themselves. Well...it's there for anyone to read, and if this is one of those times you are going to offer someone money for examples of someone getting arrested from this law...don't...because I can point to about 17 arrests and a related suicide under that law. And it's not a mathematician...it's a FWC tac team that comes knocking when they CHOOSE to enforce the law.

I'm sure none of those people....former professors and all.....would have thought their lives would be turnned upside down under this law....and some of them had been at it longer than you. I've told you before, but I think you don't want to get it....You may get away with it 100 times...then get busted on 101 if they want to make an example.

It is highly unlikely that anyone will get busted for a penny, or even a 1715 fleet coin, but it is a felony to remove anything man-made over 50 years old from state land.

And...if you bust out with a metal detector at a FL state park anywhere other than the dry sand of a coastal beach where it is allowed, you can expect to get someone to tell you to put it away, or leave....unless they are not doing their job.

 

[Jon Phillips]

Jon, and let me guess: There's state appointed mathematicians that follow md'rs around on the beach, and in the state parks there, who jump out of the bushes, ...... calculator in hand ..... to do the math on the age of each coin you or I find ?

ya know, I've been at this for nearly 40 yrs now, and I'll have to let y'all know: That in all that time, I have YET to ever have someone riffle through my apron, with a calculator in their hand, checking the >50 yr. versus < 50 yrs. status of any coin or object I've found. I suppose if anyone here is really that all-fired worried about this potential, then either a) put the older coins in your "other" pocket, or b) put coins older than 50 yrs. old back in the ground.

Warning: if you go to 7-11 to get a slurpee, be VERY careful to check the dates on the coins they give you in change. It's entirely possible you (gasp) get a coin back that exceeds 50 yrs. in age. Oh no !!

By the way.....you are often fond of saying that you don't encourage anyone to break the law...and I believe it is against the T-net rules to do so...but your advice to "put the older coins in your "other" pocket" is encouraging someone to commit a felony.

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

I disagree with that. There are ways to metal detect. Do your due diligence. There are many many ways to detect and REMOVE. I will start with the simple example: a permit. Lets see if you can research the other legal ways. But, i must agree with just keeping your mouth shut.

Florida Public Archeology Network (Click the link for more info)

Perhaps if we started reporting those archeologically significant 55 year old pennies...

On State or Federal lands, it is not lawful to collect or remove artifacts. The Isolated Finds Policy in Florida has been discontinued and does not allow individuals to keep artifacts discovered in Florida’s rivers. If you do find an artifact, the best thing to do is leave it in place, record the approximate location on a map, take a photo with a well-known object (like a coin) as a scale, and contact your regional FPAN office which can help you properly report the find.



Dr. William B. Lees, RPA - Bio
Executive Director
(850) 595-0051
wlees@uwf.edu

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

Ridiculous!

By the way.....you are often fond of saying that you don't encourage anyone to break the law...and I believe it is against the T-net rules to do so...but your advice to "put the older coins in your "other" pocket" is encouraging someone to commit a felony.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Some acts between unmarried couples are against the law in Florida as are some acts between husband and wife......

I ignore those laws too!

 

[diggummup]

I disagree with that. There are ways to metal detect. Do your due diligence. There are many many ways to detect and REMOVE. I will start with the simple example: a permit. Lets see if you can research the other legal ways. But, i must agree with just keeping your mouth shut.

By the way.....you are often fond of saying that you don't encourage anyone to break the law...and I believe it is against the T-net rules to do so...but your advice to "put the older coins in your "other" pocket" is encouraging someone to commit a felony.

Ridiculous!

No, "technically" it is true. It's the law that's ridiculous. As for a permit, that is even more ridiculous. This is Florida, let me see you get a permit to remove a "historical artifact (as defined)" as a layman. I also agree with Tom and the "nobody is following you around" basis however, Jon was just stating the law on the books that's it. He didn't say "There's state appointed mathematicians that follow md'rs around on the beach, and in the state parks there, who jump out of the bushes, ...... calculator in hand ..... to do the math on the age of each coin you or I find". That is also ridiclous. If Tom would have just read and interpreted Jon's post correctly he wouldn't have had to go on one of his tirades about the law and common sense like he usually does. Instead like a deer in the headlights he lays in wait for threads like this just to post his "logic" as it applies to each concerning the law. Been at it for years on here. Nothing new. I think we all agree that there is no such thing as the "metal detector police" and (unless you are detecting the treasure beaches) there is no one watching you metal detect from a legal standpoint. The Florida law is what it is, says what it says, and that's it. Period.

Some acts between unmarried couples are against the law in Florida as are some acts between husband and wife......

I ignore those laws too!

Way too much information!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I was as vague as I could be......LOL.. Point is there are a lot of stupid laws on the books and I personally am not going to lose any sleep if I break one of them, especially ones that are not enforced if you use common sense..

 

[Jon Phillips]

No, "technically" it is true. It's the law that's ridiculous. As for a permit, that is even more ridiculous. This is Florida, let me see you get a permit to remove a "historical artifact (as defined)" as a layman. I also agree with Tom and the "nobody is following you around" basis however, Jon was just stating the law on the books that's it. He didn't say "There's state appointed mathematicians that follow md'rs around on the beach, and in the state parks there, who jump out of the bushes, ...... calculator in hand ..... to do the math on the age of each coin you or I find". That is also ridiclous. If Tom would have just read and interpreted Jon's post correctly he wouldn't have had to go on one of his tirades about the law and common sense like he usually does. Instead like a deer in the headlights he lays in wait for threads like this just to post his "logic" as it applies to each concerning the law. Been at it for years on here. Nothing new. I think we all agree that there is no such thing as the "metal detector police" and (unless you are detecting the treasure beaches) there is no one watching you metal detect from a legal standpoint. The Florida law is what it is, says what it says, and that's it. Period.

Way too much information!

Thank you.....you get what I was saying.

There is a difference between the letter of the law, and what will "probably" happen, but the law is there. I don't know what beaches might be county or city property, and that law wouldn't apply...

I think Tom had a bad experience with someone asking permission to detect a park he went to, and got everyone kicked out, and it scarred him for life!

I think I read that somewhere....

 

[Capt.Betances]

Reading all post in this thread, I can conclude in Florida doesn't worth to detect at all. It's totally ridiculous apply a law that ban you to pick up from the sand an old coin with more than 50 years old. Where I can go to detect freely? Where is the America's freedom?

Jesus!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Capt, there are hundreds and hundreds of us hunting Florida with no issues at all... No sure why you think we can't, I have been detecting for 9 years in Florida, never been ran off or questioned even once...

 

[Jon Phillips]

No, there are plenty of places to detect here. Just stick to private, city, and county property, and stay away from state property. I've been doing it for 33 years...just got to pick your battles...

 

[Capt.Betances]

Treasure Hunter, when you see others states, you will see hunters been banned almost everywhere, every year.

Can you read what other hunters are posting in this thread?

Basically, many people here with complaints are against new legislations that want to ban us of this hobby of Treasure Hunting. Me personally, I was born to detect and I will die detecting.

I live in Maryland and the only places that I have to detect are two: Sandy Point and Gwynn Park, Baltimore. Sandy Point is extremely over detected. In addition, you have to pay $10 parking. Gwynn Park is full of old junks. The landlords in Maryland don't likes us when you make an approach to request permission to detect. So, I decide to fly to Florida to detect, but I need more information about the updated legislation to detect without problem.

(Removed for politics)

 

[Jon Phillips]

Treasure Hunter, when you see others states, you will see hunters been banned almost everywhere, every year.

Can you read what other hunter are posting in this thread?

Basically, many people here with complaints against new legislations that want to ban us of this hobby of Treasure Hunting. Me personally, I was born to detect and I will die detecting.

I live in Maryland and the only places that I have to detect are two: Sandy Point and Gwynn Park, Baltimore. Sandy Point is extremely over detected. In addition, you have to pay $10 parking. Gwynn Park is full of old junks. The landlords in Maryland don't likes us when you make an approach to request permission to detect. So, I decide to fly to Florida to detect, but I need more information about the updated legislation to detect without problem.

My point is America is loosing our traditional freedom which the US constitution defends.

Yep....the "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness" part is being choked out!

 

[Capt.Betances]

No, there are plenty of places to detect here. Just stick to private, city, and county property, and stay away from state property. I've been doing it for 33 years...just got to pick your battles...

Jon
What about the Isolate items legislation that started in 2005 or 2007 in Florida? have you to return a dime of 1954 to the sand if you find it?