Over 52,000 coins in the pot, which would weigh an approximate 400 pounds.
I hope that the finder snuck a few of the coins into his pocket, because in UK, as in many EU countries, all hoards belong to the national government involved, not the finder.
update: damn, I spelled it horde instead of hoard. Why did you people let me do that?
5 comments:
Doesn't it actually belong to the Romans, not the British? Since there are no Romans left, I'm sure that they'd want the finder to have it.
Let us remember why the British government can lay claim to anything they wish. They rule by force, at the muzzle of a gun, over unarmed serfs. Sure, they dress it up with fancy words and a few hundred years of tradition... but in the end, a 'citizen' who dares disobey will eventually face force of arms.
@Carteach0: The Scandinavian governments do the same thing with found hordes. My usual practice is to note that UK is made up of subjects, not citizens.
The British, I think, actually bid on the item, if a museum wants it. Other hoards have been found and the finders were paid a pretty penny...
If it is declared to be Treasure Trove (don't ask) then the finder will share the market value with the landowner. Can be millions. It's not a bad system.
Yes we are subjects of Her Majesty, but the yoke is not burdensome...
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