Detecting Under the Microscope: Duff's the Name: Tekking's my Game

Metal detecting artefact hunter from the north of England Graham D would like to inform us all he loves what he does. He has left a new comment on this blog's post "The Archaeological Record of the North East Provides Rich Pickings"...":

I love this hobby, I can actually say I've been Barfo[r]dised now like the rest of the the gang (All hail Mr Richard Lincoln) Please note I paid 1000 silver pennies(Cnut) for my new Porsche...

Graham Duff (a non finder of the Sutton Bank hoard)

Sue gets her new 4x4 next week, more room for the detectors and booty. Feel free to join our forum Mr B[,] for a small fee of 2 guinea's (sic) you'll have access to all of our finds.

Noted. So have they reported those coins of Cnut and paid taxes on the proceeds of selling them? How much does the PAS have to pay to get access to the information about all the "finds" these people are taking away? And all the other members of the public whose heritage these items (and the sites damaged in getting them) actually are? Why should anyone have to pay to get access to information about what this group of individuals is selfishly helping themselves to for their own personal entertainment and profit?

Somehow I think the point I made about what archaeology consists of went right over Mr Duff's head.   

Vignette: Duff beer.