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COLCHESTER TREASURE HUNTING HOLIDAYS IN ENGLAND Twinned with Midwest Historical Research Society USA
Finds section All finds by individual catagory
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Guide to Exporting your finds and the Law
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All finds are made subject to the treasure act. No find over 50 years old can be taken home without the correct documentation i.e. export licence. Anyone attempting to smuggle an artifact out of the country will be liable to imprisonment fine or both. Smuggling hot line number 0800 59 5000 if you have credible evidence that an illegal export is about to take place.(passenger name, travel details etc). |
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23rd Feb 2008 Export finds list example added Below is an example of the new export application format we produced for Chicago Reid's hunt. The finder gets a MS Word document mailed to them in full colour and this is attached to the normal export licensing application forms and a copy sent to the Finds Liason Officer at Colchester museum. The FLO at Colchester museum then selects those finds we have not previously recorded to be taken into the museum for adding to the National databases. Note any man made item over 50 years old must be detailed and photographed and cannot leave the UK without an approved export license as detailed below. Table 3 Category of Object OGEL limit Chicago Reid's pouch
1 - 1852 Victorian gold half sovereign
1 – 1839 Victorian milled silver shilling
1 - 2 1634 Charles 1sr hammered copper Rose farthing
1 – 44 Post Tudor pottery shards
1 – 25 Clay pipe fragment
1 – 3 Georgian watch winders
1 – 3 Georgian buckle fragments
1 -58 Post Tudor buttons
1- 22 18th/19th C Copper coins obv
1- 28 18th/19th C Copper coins obv
1- 16thC Tudor button 3rd August 2007 New export procedure implemented Following a meeting I had with the BM, MLA (Export duty) and Colchester museum FLO the following new process was trialed and now implemented 1- Normal detailed finds lists with export application form sent to MLA (Export Duty) 2- Detailed finds lists also sent to the Finds Liaison Officer at Colchester museum at the same time 3- Full size pictures of finds electronically mailed to MLA and FLO and finder 4- FLO selects the find/finds from the list that need to be taken into Colchester museum for further investigation and recording 5 Finds are taken to Colchester museum 5- FLO signs off on the finds list and informs export duty so license can be granted. 20th Feb 2007 Mis information on exporting There are still people being advised incorrectly about the export criteria and stating that they are allowed to take home finds that are 300 years or newer and not 50 years old as we apply strictly to the law. Metal detecting finds are covered by Cat 1 and 2 and it is 50 years or older that an export license MUST be obtained before they can be taken out of the country. Below is the relevant extract from the complete export document, click here to view the full on line document from the MLA (export duty) , page 24 MLA If you take any item over 50 years old home with out a correctly approved export license and say Fred said it is OK will not help you are caught smuggling, penalties are severe. Table 3 Category of Object OGEL limit 12th December 2006 New Exporting service for non members If you are detecting in England but not with us here then we can now offer you our full export service for your finds by prior arrangement. Before leaving the UK you mail or drop off your finds to us and we do the rest of the work. Report potential treasures and hoards to the museum or coroner, record important finds with the correct national database.You get back a detailed ID'd finds list with coloured photo's of all you finds by e-mail. We apply for an export license and if approved you can either get the finds mailed to you or you can pick them up on your next trip. Charges will be based on numbers of finds. If you need further info then mail to exporting@colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk
21st June Added Smuggling hotline number and Export duty contacts The Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council (export duty)Victoria House, 20th Feb 2005 Introduced the voluntary recording of finds template. To speed up the recording process of important finds I can use the 'e-mail finds recording template' prepared by Corinne Mills & Phil Dunningthat which can be e-mailed to the correct dept. Click here for an example prduced by them example filled in form
Corinne has also produced an excellent web site that has all the basics about detecting, finding a site, researching etc The Central Unit at the Portable Antiquities Scheme has checked and agreed this form before release. Descriptions, dimensions etc will be completed in full and include quality images. Full National Grid References are recommended, but voluntary. All the latest export applications have been made on the new form and guides to exporting can be read at this link. Exporting of Cultural goods An interesting link off the web site is the valuation committee process where hoards and treasures are involved.Treasure valuation process - PDF document
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The process is straight forward.
1. At the end of a guys tour their finds are bagged separately into categories with the ID clearly written on the outside of the bag. Any unknown finds will be looked at further by experts at Colchester museum to determine their ID. Every metal find is looked at individually again to ensure none were missed while the hunts are in progress. 2. Any hoard or treasure items are reported directly by Colchestertreasurehunting to the County Coroner or Colchester museum and receipts issued to the finder. Colchestertreasurehunting ensure that all Celtic gold, Saxon gold coins etc. are registered on the National databases like the Celtic coin register, Fitzmuseum etc. (CCI), see links page for more info. I will export the bulk of a guys' finds and not wait for the completion of an inquest that could take over a year to complete for treasure or hoard. 3. All important finds will be logged and a complete record using either the 'finds template' sent to the DCMS or directly by Colchester Museum's FLO 4. A completed ID report with pictures per hunter is sent to the MLA as part of the paperwork to get the export license issued. Victoria House,
5. The export license is applied for and if approved then the finds are then mailed to the finder by secure postage. If an export license for a particular item is withheld then the finder still owns the item but it cannot be taken out of the country. 6. The finds can also be held over to the hunters next visit here to save postage if required. They can take those finds back in their luggage with the correctly issued export license attached.
7. Each hunter gets sent a Word Document sent by e-mail with a detailed finds list and full colour photo's of all their finds, 8. Here is the link to the Royal mail web site http://www.royalmail.co.uk where you can check on the mailing costs. We now use International signed for delivery. The final cost will depend on the level of insurance you pick.
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Getting the export licence.
Unless the find is of National importance then an export license is granted. Most of the recent Celtic gold finds however exciting and old are not in this class. No previous find has yet been refused export but we have withdrawn two applications due to them being a Nationally important finds. However those recent 'treasure' finds are very unlikely not to be bought by the British or Local museum as they are one off finds of National importance. You still get the full market value, see this link for details on how the valuation is made Treasure valuation process However in the event that the find is not 'treasure or hoard' but very rare and an export license is not granted the finder still owns the item but it would not be allowed out of the country. In this case the finder can sell the item or leave it for me to happily look after !! or you could also donate it to the local museum. Simply put don't find one that's too rare and you can get it exported !! |
