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Appendix N: The Treasure Trove process: summary information sheet for finders of chance finds

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHANCE FIND IS MADE THAT IS POTENTIALLY TREASURE TROVE

1 Finds are deposited with the Treasure Trove Unit ( TTU) at National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh by the finder or via a regional/local museums curator or by another third party.

2 Finds are then assessed for Treasure Trove purposes.

3 When a find is deemed suitable for claiming under the laws of bona vacantia/Treasure Trove, the finder will be informed by the TTU.

4 Finders will receive a report on the find and a digital photograph for their own records. They will also be informed of the date of the meeting at which the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel ( SAFAP) will consider the find.

5 The case information is then passed to the QLTR unit at the Crown Office. There will normally be no further correspondence with the finder by the TTU.

6 The QLTR unit will write to the finder to advise that the QLTR accepts the recommendation to claim the find. All further correspondence with the finder will come directly from the QLTR unit. Finders can waive a reward thereby saving a museum the purchase price of the find.

7 At its next meeting SAFAP will recommend to the QLTR:

i) an ex gratia payment for the find (n.b. this does not apply to finds from organized archaeological fieldwork)
ii) the appropriate museum to be allocated the find.

8 If the QLTR accepts the Panel's recommendation the finder will receive a letter informing her/him of the amount of any reward being paid and the name of the museum which will house find.

9 The QLTR unit will then write to the museum which has been allocated the find and request the sum for the finder's ex gratia payment.

10 In some cases, the QLTR or the Panel may need to postpone arriving at a recommendation on a case until further information has been obtained. This can occur when more than one museum has applied for the same find or when extra specialist advice or analyses are required.

11 The majority of cases will proceed without delays and the finder will be sent a cheque for the ex gratia payment after the recipient museum has paid this sum to the Crown Office.

12 The entire process is normally completed within 12 months from the date of claiming the object.

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