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ARTICLE · 04 APRIL 2010

Finders keepers? Treasure Act 1996

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The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard in July 2009 brought the law relating to the ownership of treasure back into the headlines.

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
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The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard in July 2009 brought the law relating to the ownership of treasure back into the headlines. Currently in storage at the British Museum, the largest Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold ever found has now been valued at £3.25 million. Treasure belongs to the Crown and a key concern for landowners is whether they own or have any rights over items found on their land.

'Treasure' is defined in the Treasure Act 1996 (the 'Act') as any object that is at least three hundred years old at the date it is found and which has at least a 10 per cent gold or silver content. Coins must be found as a group to be classed as treasure. Anything found with treasure is also included, as is anything at least two hundred years old, but designated by the Secretary of State as being of 'outstanding historical, archaeological or cultural importance'. This currently includes pre-historic base-metal assemblages.

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