Treasure Valuation Committee Website

This series contains dated gathered versions (or 'snapshots') of the Treasure Valuation Committee website. [Please note: These records may be accessed via the UK Government Web Archive].

Please see information at Divisional level

Records of the British Museum can be found in CE

• British Museum, 1753-1753
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997-2017

Topics

Official publications

The British Museum has a legal responsibility under the terms of the 1996 Treasure Act to process treasure finds from England and Wales. As the leading source of numismatic expertise in this country, the Department of Coins and Medals is actively involved in most cases where coins are recovered, either by chance finds or archaeological excavation. Each year the Department deals with about 50 treasure cases, of which only the most spectacular make the national press. Outstanding finds of gold and silver coins, such as Hoxne (1992), Appledore (1997) and Shapwick (1998), stand out in comparison with most hoards that consist of heavily worn and corroded base-metal coins.

Once delivered to the Museum, a potential treasure find may require conservation before it can be fully identified. The identification and cataloguing process allows the curator to advise the local coroner on whether or not a find fulfils the definition of treasure as established by the 1996 Treasure Act. If a find is declared treasure at inquest, both local and national museums have the opportunity to acquire it. The full market value of a find, as established by the independent Treasure Valuation Committee, is granted to the finders and landowners in the event of its acquisition by a museum. Only in the event of a find being declared 'not treasure', or where no museum expresses an interest in acquiring a find, will it be returned to the finder.