Has the scale of Metal Detecting losses been disastrously misrepresented?

According to the Taking Part Survey (quoted here in the Government’s statistical release for 2019/2020): “an estimated 2% of adults in England said they had taken part in metal detecting at least once in the 12 months prior to interview.“

That’s 1.1 million, which is 39 times more than the 28000 which is commonly quoted these days and 137 times more than the 8,000 figure that our Artefact Erosion Counter assumes!

Yes, such people may or may not go out regularly but it does mean 137 more landowners’ doors knocked on than PAS and the Archaeological Establishment has ever told the public. Has the scale of metal detecting and the likely number of unreported finds ever been explained to the public, the taxpayer and the legislators?

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More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
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