Finds Identification Day
Have you found an object in England or Wales which you would like to know more about?
Medieval gold pendant. One side is crudely engraved with the head of Christ
and the other with a half-length image of Christ as the Man of Sorrows. Acquired
by Herbert Art Gallery & Museum after being declared Treasure.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme’s Finds Liaison Officer is available to record your finds. The Portable Antiquities Service (PAS) is a national scheme to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public. By recording your finds you can discover all about the object and by researching your object the archaeologists can find out more about the past.
What do we want to record?
We would love to see any object which is more than 300 years old which you have found while walking, gardening, or metal detecting in England or Wales. We also need to know where you found your object as having a grid reference for all our finds allows us to see where people lived and worked, information about the economy, changes in fashion, and much more. Please let us know if you need advice on the best way to record your grid reference.
Treasure
If you have an object which is more than 10% gold or silver and more than 100 years old then legally it qualifies as Treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act and must be reported. Likewise, if you find two or more precious metal coins or 10 or more base metal coins in the same findspot they also qualify as Treasure. Prehistoric metalwork and any associated objects also need to be reported. Your Finds Liaison Officer can report your Treasure for you and guide you through the process.
What we can’t do
Please note that we are not able to value your objects. We are also not able to identify or record objects found outside of England or Wales.
Booking
The Finds Day is on an appointment-only basis. Visitors must maintain a 2-meter social distance and wear face coverings.