Update on my ring

[The Don]

Good luck with this The Don, hope all goes well.

Fingers and toes crossed

The Don

[ManOnTheMoon]

That is all well known, MOTM.

Perhaps it is, but I am just trying to assist The Don, and others here, in highlighting specific information that gives good clues about how TVC valuation works. The Don may have already been well aware of that PAS webpage anyway, but it doesn't do any harm to highlight these sort of references, for everyone's education.

Does it matter what it's worth anyway, unless you are a 'treasure hunter' and want to make profit from your finds?

Clearly it does matter to the Don, and very likely will to anyone else in a similar, limited financial position. I'm sure the 'collecting instinct' within detectorists means we would love to keep all precious-metal finds. However, the requirement to part with some portion of an object's value, in order to recompense, for example, the landowner, means that retaining valuable finds is financially out of reach for many, sadly.

Wishing to get a decent payment for a valuable find doesn't make one a 'treasure hunter' or profiteer, it's more about getting fair payback for uncovering archaeological arterfacts that would otherwise likely never be found, if it wasn't for the hobbyist's determination and perseverance. Of course, getting to that point of discovery involves necessary costs - detector, acessories, travel, charging batteries etc - so if our luck is in, occasionally defraying some of those costs is not unreasonable. Additionally, as illustrated by The Don, the value of an item can be transformative for some.

[f8met]

In one way, it is better to have a low valuation if you want to give the landowner half of its value and keep the item.

Is that an honest way to treat the landowner? On one hand complaining that the BM is giving a low valuation but then going on to effectively con the landowner by telling them is is actually worth less than it is actually worth?

Wishing to get a decent payment for a valuable find doesn't make one a 'treasure hunter' or profiteer, it's more about getting fair payback for uncovering archaeological arterfacts that would otherwise likely never be found, if it wasn't for the hobbyist's determination and perseverance. Of course, getting to that point of discovery involves necessary costs - detector, acessories, travel, charging batteries etc - so if our luck is in, occasionally defraying some of those costs is not unreasonable. Additionally, as illustrated by The Don, the value of an item can be transformative for some.

Detecting is a hobby not a job. You don't get paid to go detecting and is your choice to go out to do your hobby. No one expects to be compensated for catching a fish in a river when they have invested a lot of time and money in buying the gear. No one expects to get some money when their football team wins as they hold a season ticket and pay to travel to watch their team.

[Phil2401]

Is that an honest way to treat the landowner? On one hand complaining that the BM is giving a low valuation but then going on to effectively con the landowner by telling them is is actually worth less than it is actually worth?

Honesty with the landowner (and in all walks of life) is paramount. If a higher valuation is not available then it is theoretically advantageous to whichever party wishes to buy the object.

[ManOnTheMoon]

Detecting is a hobby not a job. You don't get paid to go detecting and is your choice to go out to do your hobby. No one expects to be compensated for catching a fish in a river when they have invested a lot of time and money in buying the gear. No one expects to get some money when their football team wins as they hold a season ticket and pay to travel to watch their team.

You have missed my point, f8met. Hear me out. When a detectorist is fortunate enough to uncover a valuable find, there is no shame in not wanting to keep that find, if the potential value of the find can be realised to help with other important things, an example of which was given by The Don - she would understandably like to keep warm in the winter.

However, even if there are no similar, pressing financial considerations such as that given by The Don, then a detectorist can still legitimately realise the value of the find and recoup some of what they have spent on their hobby. And they can do so without it troubling their conscience. I agree, we detectorists don't go out expecting to be 'paid', or for riches to regularly come up out of the earth. But if such finds do fortunately come our way it is a perfectly valid benefit of detecting to realise the value of such great finds.

The pages of at least two UK detecting magazines have many examples of ads where detecting finds have been auctioned on, and I feel sure the finders involved will have included folk who have put such money towards a new detector, new accessories, whatever. Unlike being a football fan, there is the opportunity to recoup some of what a detectorist may have spent on their hobby. Aren't we lucky?

[theoriginalfatcat]

Detecting is a hobby that's for sure, however if you're fortunate enough to find something of value once in a while and everything is above board, then to me it's a win/win for everyone involved, including the purchaser - be it museum or collector.

I've never sold anything - chance would be a fine thing anyway, good luck to Donna, she's waited ages for this.

[LuckyB]

An interesting debate, I wonder if you would prefer the situation we have in Scotland where all items of historical interest have to be handed over to Treasure Trove (Part of the National Museum of Scotland), it is up to them to decide if an item should be retained for the national interest including offering them to local musems. If they do decide to retain the item, the finder is awarded an ex-gratia payment, the amount decided by Treasure Trove with no avenue to appeal if you think it is too low! They are not obliged to take any valuation into consideration! This includes coins which arguably have an established market value. There are a lot of finders who think they have been "lowballed" but there is nothing they can do about it. On the positive side, in Scotland the landowner has no claim to the item or any payment (although many detectorists have agreements in place to share any payments on valuable items). If an item is disclaimed you get it back with a certificate enabling you to sell it legally. Also some finders chose to wave any payment which is sometimes done to help the item go to a local museum where there is more chance of the item going on display with credit to the finder.

Good luck with your ring Don

[f8met]

If it helps, there is a very similar ring for sale, £2500 retail on this website.

https://trinityantiques.co.uk/collectio ... ry-ad-3245

[mrmallard]

If it helps, there is a very similar ring for sale, £2500 retail on this website.

https://trinityantiques.co.uk/collectio ... ry-ad-3245

Less VAT and profit / mark up, and there may be some negotiation in that price - makes the original valuation look very reasonable.

[The Don]

Less VAT and profit / mark up, and there may be some negotiation in that price - makes the original valuation look very reasonable.

The BM went to Noonan's for the original estimate, done by photo as the ring is still in Helston, with the FLO, so they did at least go to a reasonable one for their estimate.

The Don