Focus on UK Metal Detecting: Big Hole in Archaeological Record (Kim's Weekend Rally, "Lots of GOLD" - errr, "Istry")

On a metal detecting forum near you, "kopparberg" from Bury St Edmunds (Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:42 pm) writes about a commercial artefact hunting rally held the previous weekend:  "Kim's Last Big Boxted Endeavour Dig Social Metal Detecting Fun Week ender" Hill Farm, Langham (landowner Mr J. Minter), near Colchester, Essex, Thursday 18th, Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September 2014. As yet, NO records in PAS database. No mention of the event on the rallies attended by the PAS page either. There was however quite a lot found: 

hi all just got in from kims weekend rally all i can say is what an event [...] you just had to be there to see the finds turning up in the finds cabinet. i think last count there where 12 or 13 gold coins ranging from full staters, quarter staters, celtic silver, french gold . medieval gold, guineas and sov's. a gold posy ring. not to mention a hat full of hammies the best that i see was this afternoon a lovey condition groat of henry VII young face. also part of a gold torc and an iron age dagger. the list could go on. me i think i forgot to turn my detector on just could'nt seem to go over much , did mange a hammie a lizzy penny and a charles 11 silver token 2 roman sesterius some detail that might come out and a crotal bell and a bag full of rubbish [...] a lot of folk didnt want to attend as the land had been detected on before with rallies .just goes to show what deep ploughing land can do .

On the same forum, member "Adrian P" reports (Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:16 pm)

it was an excellent 3 days ::g I couldn't believe how much gold was coming up My finds were brilliant (for me) even without any gold coins:

1 large Roman
1 tiny Roman
4 rose farthings
A William III coin
2 other Half Pennies
A 1941 Threppeny Bit
A Saxon StrapEnd
A 9ct gold plated on silver ring
And a fist full of buttons

Hopefully the next one that is nearby will yield nice finds too

Apparently the FLO was in attendance, but there is no record of this rally on the PAS database. I wonder what kind of record was obtained of the site's destroyed archaeology?


Apparently MISSING from the public record are: 
12 or 13 gold coins ranging from full staters, quarter staters, celtic silver, french gold . medieval gold, guineas and sov's. a gold posy ring. not to mention a hat full of hammies the best that i see was this afternoon a lovey condition groat of henry VII young face. also part of a gold torc and an iron age dagger. [...] a lizzy penny and a charles 11 silver token 2 roman sesterius some detail that might come out and a crotal bell,  probably several other Roman coins, a Saxon Strap End etc. Where are they now? A huge area of the archaeological record has been trashed, collectables have been pilfered, and what has "responsible detecting" given in return? A piffling (and non-representative) handful of coins, a ring (which had to be reported anyway, and a bag seal. Pathetic. And the PAS has the gall to call itself a "success". Now have a look at the list of rallies "known to the Scheme" and look through the PAS archives for ANY ONE of them, and see if the same pattern is not being repeated.  This is appalling, the silence of British archaeologists (that includes those employed IN the PAS) about the scale and brazenness of this devastation is appalling.


Vignette: Gold, gold and golden gold.