My dear fellow, how are you? I see that bounder Rushton and one of his obnoxious band of detector-wielding sacrilegious scavengers have once again hit the headlines by uncovering a magnificent example of a Medieval Gold Noble. I am so sorry that the finder destroyed the first six inches of strata deemed to be of the utmost importance to the biased bigots posing as serious archaeologists, but after witnessing the wanton destruction caused in uncovering the remains of Richard III, I, and many more serious minded people consider that argument no longer holds water. So, following the legal path, the coin will be subjected to a Coroner's Inquest, then there will be two options available to the Coroner, option one, whether was it a casual loss, or, option two, whether it was deliberately buried to be recovered at a later date. Option one is the obvious answer resulting in the coin being returned to the original finder and then it is up to the landowner/ farmer whether he wants the finder to sell it and split the money or the finder to keep it for himself. I think the first option would be the favourite which would, I assume result in a museum purchasing the coin where it would be put on display to bring untold joy to the great unwashed masses. Or maybe he should have left it where it was in the middle of a cold, damp, field?
A noble is an English gold coin of the 14th and 15th centuries (later replaced by an angel). It was quite a high value coin, so difficult to talk of a "casual loss". But what attracts attention here is Dr Shephard's ignorance of the Treasure Act. Single gold coins do not undergo a Coroner's inquest, and the Treasure Trove determinations went out with the 1996 Treasure Act so all this cobblers about casual loss/intent to recover is precisely that. Who is this guy's FLO, and what do they do all day, if not educate (outreach to) people like this?
Who is this guy's FLO, and what do they do all day??? Jesus H. Christ, what does this Polish sinecure occupier do all day??? Answers on a postcard please addressed to the British taxpayer..
ReplyDeleteQED. Again the lack of any kind of articulate thinking comes out here too, the detectorist merely speaking in meaningless cliches: "Answers on a postcard please", "addressed to the British taxpayer" - the latter ignoring the fact that for nigh on forty years I have been a citizen and resident of Poland (now) in the EU.
ReplyDeleteWhatever I do here is neither here nor there with regard the subject of my post, that in the UK they have people paid by public money to attempt to educate hobbyists with metal detectors, without asking to what degree this group of people actually is educable and capable of understanding the issues. By looking at what members of this milieau write, how they engage with issues (like here), I think it rather reinforces my point that in fact it is largely a waste of time.