Sharing finds with landowner - advice AGAIN

[ianrichards]

This is all hypothetical ...
OK, so you've got your permission from a friendly farmer and have agreed on a 50/50 share either by a signed agreement or a handshake and after a moderately successful day in the field you go back to the farmhouse to show him your goodies.
Now let's say that as well as the usual trash you have a strap-end buckle, a croatal bell and a hammie (you've had a brilliant day).
What's the protocol for divi-ing up when items are of such varying value?
This really is all hypothetical ...

PM if need be.

Thanks
Ian

[jcmaloney]

Landowner will possibly feign interest but you will build trust. In terms of "mundane bits" you can get as involved as you wish....plot them on a map of the farm then make a presentation case.

Its about history of the land not £££`s.

[bryan162]

Well said jcmaloney all my finds are being left to the Bucks museum for the people of Buckinghamshire, nothing gets sold its not about the money its all about the history.

[Evo]

A very noble sentiment, and for the main I agree. The only exception I would make is for new people to the hobby who like myself start off with a basic machine and do not have the disposable income to invest in a better machine costing several hundreds of pounds.
I have in the past sold a few items to enable me to upgrade to the machine I now use.
I am now in a position to keep/donate to local museums and heritage groups.
So let us not be too hard on those who need to sell the odd lucky find.

[Evo]

Just to add all my finds are reported to the pas.

[Ingulphus]

So let us not be too hard on those who need to sell the odd lucky find.

Quite. I sell nothing, but if I had to, I would.

[PhilD]

As I said in my previous post on your original thread;

''re the non treasure finds you could agree to share 'finds of significant value' with the landowner should he wish and agree with him what to set the 'significant value' at''.

in my opinion from the landowners POV he/she might want to get something out of what you find that is of significant value in cash or for a collection of his own, so it's worth putting the question to him, as after all, unlike the treasure finds the non treasure finds do belong to him so it's best both parties know all the terms and conditions.

He might be not bothered about your finds or naïve to what valuable finds might lie under his land, I give our clubs landowners a link to the PAS document below;

http://finds.org.uk/getinvolved/guides/ ... landowners

Quote extract from above link;
Ownership of Archaeological Objects
By law, archaeological objects (apart from Treasure - see below) normally belong to the landowner. Archaeologists will generally make provision with the landowner for objects they find to go into a public collection, such as a museum.

Most metal-detectorists and some other finders may want to keep finds they make (for their own collection or to perhaps sell on).

Landowners may wish to see the objects before they make any decisions about their future ownership; any written agreement between landowner and finder (see above) should make it clear what happens to the finds.

It is recommended that all archaeological finds (apart from those found as part of a professional archaeological excavation, which should be published separately) should be recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (see below); its Finds Liaison Officers can also help determine whether a local museum may wish to acquire any of the finds discovered.