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US Treasure Trove Laws

Most courts in the United States that have addressed the question of treasure trove rule that it goes to the finder.



The doctrine is recognized in Arkansas,
32Connecticut,33 Delaware,34 Georgia,35 Indiana,36 Iowa,37 Maine,38 Maryland,39 New York,40 Ohio,41 Oregon,42 and Wisconsin.


Those are finders keepers states! Viva Arkansas :lol:

 
another reason for me not to report anything......loose lips sink ships(or takes the cashe in this case)
 
Yeah like that couple that found that double eagle in Utah and they took it.....sucks.....keep it on the DL.
 
That was a very interesting article. It was worth saving for future reference. Our hobby is just like the lottery. If you're in it you may win it. You never know what lurks in the ground.
 
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I found all the gold bars from Italian Job!!!!! That's why I am still hitting the local fields for clad. Forget the gov't, not getting any of my finds unless its historical.
 
Why aren't any of the major metal detector manufacturers making any effort to work with gov't to increase the rights of detectorists?
 
Agree. It seems that each year more land and additional laws to ban MDing are increasing. You think that the manufacturers would step up to protect their interest. Less land will lead to less MDing.
 
Why aren't any of the major metal detector manufacturers making any effort to work with gov't to increase the rights of detectorists?

You know, if each member that reads this was to call, email, or write, to their metal detector manufacturer and ask them what they are doing about it --and if nothing, why not? I bet we'd get their interest and more importantly, their support.
 
You know, if each member that reads this was to call, email, or write, to their metal detector manufacturer and ask them what they are doing about it --and if nothing, why not? I bet we'd get their interest and more importantly, their support.

I'm for it, it sounds like a great idea...maybe we can get a category made to give everyone information on how to go about it.
 
another reason for me not to report anything......loose lips sink ships(or takes the cashe in this case)

I'm not sure I understand what this means for the state of Pennsylvania:

There has been only one exception to the rule of United States courts refusing to vest the right to treasure trove in the sovereign. This was a trial court in Pennsylvania, which in 1948 ruled that the common law of treasure trove did not vest the right to treasure trove in the finder, but in the sovereign, and awarded a find of $92,800 in currency to the state. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, however, reversed this decision and held that it was not yet determined as to whether the law of treasure trove was part of the law of Pennsylvania.

I'm new to this hobby and I've just been poking around public parks and never on private property. If I'm reading this right, has no precedent been set on the right to treasure trove in this state? Is it going to take a sizable discovery for the state Supreme Court to make a decision? I find it doubtful that I'll hit a $93K haul, but is that what needs to happen for the court to make a decision?
 
I have never found anything of great value, but if I did I don't think I would announce it, especially if was gold. if it were of a great historical value I would turn it in for a finders fee.
 
Obviously the new guy here -

Just an observation, but addressing replies 9-11 above - isn't it OUR responsibility to lean on the politicians? Certainly it is a vested interest of the detector manufacturers, but for every company who makes them, aren't there hundreds of dealers selling them, & thousands of detectorists using them? I'm not trying to pick a fight, but we Americans have gotten too accustomed to saying, "Hey, shouldn't SOMEONE do sumpin' about this problem?" when that someone is looking at us from the mirror? Isn't than why our economy, & our entire nation, in the mess they are?

I'll shut up now, 'cause I'm looking forward to spending time here, & learnin' a little sumpin' (don't wanna burn ALL my bridges on the first day...).

Peace,
Matt
 
Obviously the new guy here -

Just an observation, but addressing replies 9-11 above - isn't it OUR responsibility to lean on the politicians? Certainly it is a vested interest of the detector manufacturers, but for every company who makes them, aren't there hundreds of dealers selling them, & thousands of detectorists using them? I'm not trying to pick a fight, but we Americans have gotten too accustomed to saying, "Hey, shouldn't SOMEONE do sumpin' about this problem?" when that someone is looking at us from the mirror? Isn't than why our economy, & our entire nation, in the mess they are?

I'll shut up now, 'cause I'm looking forward to spending time here, & learnin' a little sumpin' (don't wanna burn ALL my bridges on the first day...).

Peace,
Matt

I agree with you, we can't sit around waiting for someone else to do something.
 
If Found

If it was gold or something you can melt down and you were just going for melt value....Coudnt you just learn to smelt little bricks yourself? My sister is an art teacher...Betcha she could tell me how to do it!
 
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