24 March 2026 · 7 min read

What to Do If You Find Treasure in the UK

You've just dug up something incredible. Gold coins, a silver hoard, an ancient artifact. Your heart is racing. Now what? Here's exactly what you need to do, step by step.

First: What Counts as "Treasure"?

Under the Treasure Act 1996, treasure is legally defined as:

Any object at least 300 years old with at least 10% gold or silver content
Two or more coins from the same find that are at least 300 years old (if 10%+ precious metal, just two coins; otherwise 10+ coins)
Any object found with treasure (even if not precious metal itself)
Any prehistoric base-metal assemblage (two or more objects)

A single Roman bronze coin? Not treasure. A hoard of 50 Roman bronze coins? Treasure. A single gold medieval ring? Treasure.

Step-by-Step: What to Do

Step 1: Stop digging immediately
Once you realize you might have treasure, stop. Don't dig further. Don't try to extract everything yourself. More items may be nearby, and archaeologists need to see the context.

Step 2: Mark the exact location
GPS coordinates from your phone. Photos of the hole and surrounding area. Note the field, the depth, the soil conditions. This information is vital.

Step 3: Secure what you've found
Carefully wrap and store any items you've already removed. Don't clean them - cleaning can destroy evidence and reduce value. Keep them safe but don't hide them.

Step 4: Tell the landowner
They have a legal interest in the find. Most finds agreements specify this anyway. A good relationship with your landowner matters more than any single find.

Step 5: Report to the coroner within 14 days
This is a legal requirement. You must report potential treasure to the local coroner within 14 days of finding it (or within 14 days of realizing it might be treasure). Failure to report is a criminal offence.

Important: You have 14 days to report. Not "when you get round to it." Fourteen days. Set a reminder. Report early if you're unsure - there's no penalty for reporting something that turns out not to be treasure.

How to Report

Option 1: Through your local Finds Liaison Officer (FLO)

This is the easiest method. FLOs are part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme and are experts in handling treasure reports. They'll guide you through the process and handle the coroner notification. Find your local FLO at finds.org.uk.

Option 2: Directly to the coroner

You can contact your local coroner's office directly. You'll need to provide the find location, description, date found, and your contact details.

Option 3: Through a museum

Local museums can also accept treasure reports and will pass them to the coroner.

What Happens Next

Report received

The coroner acknowledges your report and the process begins.

Preliminary assessment

A FLO or museum expert examines the find to confirm if it's likely treasure.

Archaeological investigation (if needed)

If there may be more items at the site, archaeologists may investigate. You might be asked to return to the location.

Treasure Valuation Committee

The British Museum's committee determines the find's market value.

Museum acquisition (or return)

Museums have the chance to acquire the treasure at the valued price. If no museum wants it, ownership reverts to finder and landowner.

Reward payment

If a museum acquires the treasure, the reward (the full market value) is split between finder and landowner, typically 50/50.

How long does this take? Typically 12-24 months from report to reward payment. Major finds can take longer. The Staffordshire Hoard took several years to fully process and value.

The Reward

If a museum acquires your treasure, you receive a reward equal to the full market value. This is split according to your agreement with the landowner (usually 50/50).

Examples of treasure rewards:

Single medieval gold ring: £500 - £5,000
Small coin hoard (20-50 coins): £1,000 - £20,000
Significant artifact: £10,000 - £100,000+
Major hoard: Can be millions (Staffordshire Hoard: £3.3m)

What If No Museum Wants It?

If no museum acquires the treasure within a set period, it's "disclaimed" and ownership goes to the finder and landowner. You can then sell it privately, though you won't get a reward from the state.

What NOT to Do

Never do these things:

Clean the find (damages evidence and value)
Delay reporting beyond 14 days (it's illegal)
Sell without reporting (it's illegal)
Keep digging alone at the site (destroys context)
Post exact location on social media (invites nighthawkers)

Non-Treasure Finds

Most detecting finds aren't legally treasure, but they're still important. Report significant finds to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) anyway. It contributes to archaeological knowledge and creates a record of your find.

Non-treasure items belong to the landowner by default, unless your finds agreement says otherwise. This is why having a written agreement matters.

Detect with Confidence

JOMF handles all landowner agreements and finds processes. When you find something significant, we guide you through reporting and ensure fair distribution of any rewards.

Join JOMF - From £29/month

Summary

Stop digging when you suspect treasure
Document everything (GPS, photos, notes)
Tell the landowner
Report to the coroner within 14 days (via FLO is easiest)
Cooperate with any archaeological investigation
Wait for valuation and potential museum acquisition
Receive your share of the reward

Finding treasure is the dream. Handle it properly, and everyone wins - you, the landowner, and the historical record.