Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
According to the large news coverage last night ,the fellow, to his credit, did everything correctly, including informing the relevant authorities who provided skilled people to continue the search. How honest is that, when you consider that he was an unemployed man who could have said nothing.Full marks to him. In fact how it works, half the "reward" goes to the finder and half goes to the land owner and the nation benifits, as a whole, by the find being put on show in a museum.
Maybe in Scotland, but certainly not in England and I believe also not in Wales. When one buys property one takes possession "of all that stands on or below" XXXX (the name or address of the property). Unless by common knowledge or stated in the land-deeds, this also includes any and all mineral rights. That is to say, that if you are buying property in a known coal mining area there is a good chance that there is a coal mine under your property already over which you have no rights or say. So you buy the property - you own the lot - above and below ground.

Most detectorists, who operate within the law in England, come to an agreement with the land owner first - a kind of pre-nuptial agreement. Otherwise they stand to loose the lot. The organisation that guides detectorists has some down-loadable agreements on their website, just for that purpose.

Regards

Chas