kaufenanger
Elite Member
Welcome from New York!
New from France / Metal detecting game
- Thread starter Warem
- Start date
~Alan~
Forum Supporter
When I attended a conference at the British Museum several years ago, they were talking about how different European countries handled metal detecting.
The Southern Irish official was in complete denial, saying it doesn't happen there at all (not altogether true). He didn't even stay to answer questions.
The Southern Irish official was in complete denial, saying it doesn't happen there at all (not altogether true). He didn't even stay to answer questions.
As far as France is concerned, I can only refer you to this report. The French, like the Southern Irish would rather artefacts stay in
the ground to decay.
https://www.artandobject.com/news/officials-seize-27000-artifacts-looted-french-metal-detectorist
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 20,714
Here's what I would say to this link :
1) Consider the source.
A purist archie publication. WELL OF COURSE they hate md'rs. And will spin anything/everything to be "dire". What did we expect from their side of the aisle ? 2) Notice they do not go any further with their assertion that : " ...In France, hobbyists using metal detectors is against the law. ..." They just drop that there. AS IF IT'S A DEFAULT GIVEN PREMISE ! They cite no law or rule that says such a thing.
And if you hover your mouse over the word "metal detector" there, you'll see it can take you to another link. Once you go to that other link, you see it has nothing to do with France. Huh ??
3) Whatever laws/rules this archie source *might* be relying on to substantiate their claim (that md'ing in France is "against the law") could be laws applying to public lands. Not private lands.
4) And notice that EVEN AFTER THE ASSERTION, that it goes on to say that you must turn over "artifacts of cultural heritage" to the state. Eh ? Ok, fine, so detect, but that you just have to "turn over items to the state", eh ? And again, this might only be for public lands in the first place. Gee, I could say the same thing about the USA too . We have laws that forbid "harvest" and "remove". That cover every speck of public land as well .
5) And let's be totally serious here folks : Did you notice the sheer amount of coins and treasure-stuff involved ?
This guy was not a casual coin-hunter, with a few coins to sell on ebay. He had over 27k artifacts and coins. Valued at nearly a million $$ . And he goes waltzing into govt. officials, trying to get some sort of green light ? !!! ?Why not just sell the cotton picking things , a few at a time, on ebay or whatever ? Eg.: You can go on ebay RIGHT NOW and see ancient coins going back and forth between buyers/sellers/collectors ALL THE TIME. From EVERY COUNTRY. Since when isn't coin-collecting an age old hobby ?
In other words, I do not think that the guy in this article is the brightest bulb in the box.
6) Everything in this article could be said of the USA and the UK too. ANYONE can make a total nuisance of themselves, parade themselves in front of purist archies, and be made some sort of example of.
Eg.: I could find some purist USA archie to cite supposed laws in the USA too (ARPA), and then follow it with some story of someone getting "roughed up" for tromping around at Shiloh or Gettysburg.
Last edited:
