Metal detectorist to auction Roman helmet

[Wax]

A licence is something you buy rather than earn:face-stir: (with a few exceptions). So who would be the licensing body?

[Dinosaur]

How much would it pay? Sounds like a laugh, I'm up for it if the job's going :face-approve:
:face-topic: I have it on good authority that at least one recognised Roman military specialist is of the strictly private opinion that the helmet has <AUP edit - and sadly that how it will have to remain - remember remember that allegations must be run past me first before posting on BAJR... stops me from getting angry emails/telephone calls, letters etc. ta muchly) .....might explain why it's in quite such good condition, not what you'd expect from something dug out of a soggy and probably slightly acidic Cumbrian field.....

[Unitof1]

have you had any angry tele/emails on this one then. Like who? Care to share the burden with us sceptics.

Just out of interest hosty if a prospective buyer came to you for advice about buying this object what would you recommend?

[Dinosaur]

Apologies......:face-crying:

[Silent Bob]

It made 2 million quid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Unitof1]

The report of the find does mean the find spot is recorded and full archaeological excavation to uncover the riddle of how such a stunning object ended up in a nondescript field miles from the nearest Roman site may still follow.

cant wait. who should do it and who will fund it?

[BAJR]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/o...wo-million

and dry your eyes Dino :face-kiss:

His good fortune has exposed a gaping hole in Britain's protection for archaeological heritage finds, and is bound to lead to calls for reform of the Treasure Act.

is not true though... it is in England and Wales. Here in Scotland it would be treasure like every item... and would come past the SAFAP (on which I sit) to determine allocation and ex-gratia payment.. if agreed on. This would never have happened in Scotland.

[BAJR]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11497511 BBC report

As a matter of interest, the detecting forums are buzzing with similar sadness.. though we must remember that by the law, the person did not even have to report it at all! One detectorist has suggested the farmer and detectorist hand over 400k to the museum so it can match (and raise) the 2m bid and the new owner can return it to Cumbria. It would have helped regenerate the area, and so many people put so much into it... We can always hope... and why the hell did the govt not help...

[moreno]

The story has definitely generated plenty of buzz and opinion. I had an enlightening chat with a PAS officer regarding the helmet. Right, wrong or indifferent, the helmet has drawn interest from Saudi princes, private collectors, and American museums etc. The interest has driven up the value of the object and makes it incredibly difficult for the Cumbrian museum to obtain the piece. There have been similar instances regarding the difficulties involved in keeping valuable art objects in the UK. I thought peeps might be interested in the following excerpt from a recent BBC news article I came across:

“If the buyer plans to take the helmet overseas, they would need to apply for an export licence. Applications can be referred to an expert adviser and if they believe the item is of national importance, it can be passed on to a reviewing committee.
If that body considers it meets criteria, it can recommend to the Secretary of State that an export licence is deferred to allow a matching offer to be made to keep the object in the UK.”


Interesting! I’m sure there will be more regarding this story in the near future.

[Unitof1]

its not archaeology-get rid. It should not go in a museum. It could go into a art or metal detecting gallery