Museum Quality Stater Recorded on Public Database Sight Unseen

                    Portable Antiquities Scheme             

This is an interesting find, figuring under the anonymous records of the 14 items on the PAS database, reportedly a metal detecting find coming from near Shobdon in Herefordshire.

COINUnique ID: HESH-1A637B
A complete Iron Age gold hammered stater of the Western Region / Dobunni, dating to the period c.20 BC - AD 40, issued by Comux (c.AD 1-15?), Comuc Tree type. Obverse: Dobunnic tree symbol, pellet at base, on plain field. Reverse: Triple-tailed horse right with six-spoked wheel below, [C]OMV[X] (upside down) above. The coin measures 20mm in diameter and weighs 5.4g. ABC, p. 105, no. 2054; BMC nos. 3061-3063. Notes: The object has been recorded remotely with information and photographs kindly provided by the finder. The FLO has not seen the object. Subsequent actions Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder Grid reference source: From finder Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Why does the data field in the public database not say who created this record and when? In the description page it is anonymised, yet from the statistics, we find this record was (reportedly) created by PAS member of staff Ian Bass on Monday 26th September 2022. Why can this information not be available in one place rather than having to chase around for it? Are the authors of these texts somehow ashamed of their work that they are loathe to put their names under these descriptions? 

The FLO, whoever they were, has not verified the object, not held it in their hand, not checked that the photo is a depiction of that coin, that it really looks like this. They also have not checked the paperwork by which the landowner transferred ownership to the finder (establishing that it is not the product of illegal activity). Yet a searchable public record is created that a coin looking like that was "indeed" found by metal detecting at a certain place and at a certain date. Neat. So all a hypothetical bloke with a coin stolen from a private house or museum collection in a burglary needs to do is make a photo and contact any old FLO who will unwittingly (one hopes) certify its legitimacy on this public-funded database. The PAS database used in this way can be used to 'launder' many finds. 

Far be it for me to suggest that any FLOs could be 'in' on such practices, I am sure they are not, but by simply trusting a "finder" and ignoring their obligation to double-check the documentation, this is the same "no-questions-asked" approach that causes so many problems in the antiquities market and antiquities collecting in general. 

The purpose (as Baroness Blackstone said when the Portable Antiquities Scheme was set up) was that the PAS would lead in instilling best practice. Instead we see it dragging its feet over tackling issues of bad practice with antiquities hunting, collecting and commerce, and failing to lead in anything at all.