#MetalDetecting, pork chops and blood money.

Someone has sent us a comment saying: “Some countries pay their blood donors….but the UK and the World Health Organisation say this is not a good method.” We agree, and by the same token offering treasure hunters, the option of a reward instead of voluntarily donating finds is also not wise for, unfortunately, more than 90% of detectorists insist on being paid in full.

Worse, the Treasure they are paid for already belongs to those who are paying for it and is sometimes taken to rallies and “laundered by findspot description” having been stolen by nighthawks or (more often) withheld from the landowners who would otherwise have shared the reward.

So, to be clear: it’s like Tesco’s rewarding people who bring them pork chops or Britain paying oodles for blood, knowing that some of it has been stolen! We’re “making progress,” says the mantra constantly served up to stakeholders, taxpayers, and parliament. Are we? And the evidence?

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More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
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