Remarkable Treasures Found in Wales

One thing we don’t typically experience in the U.S. is finding centuries-old artifacts under a farmer’s field. That very thing occurs in England and Wales on a fairly regular basis, and when it does, it’s newsworthy, usually showing up on multiple news sites in the United Kingdom! I invite you to check out these treasures:  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65024262

Interestingly, in the UK, when ancient treasures are uncovered, there is a procedure.  An inquest is held, at which the items are inspected and evaluated. If an item is declared to be a “treasure,” then an independent Treasure Valuation Committee assigns a value to it and submits the value to the Secretary of State. The committee is comprised of five experts on coins and jewelry treasures; each expert is appointed for a term of five years. One committee member is assigned the task of representing the finder of the item. The finder may be allocated a reward as may be the landowner on whose land the treasure was found. The value assigned to an item tends not to be an anticipated retail value but rather the value expected to be fetched at auction. Ultimately, museums then have the right to acquire such an object for their collection.