Is treasure hunting legal?

Each country sets its own rules. The United States protects archaeological resources over 100 years old on federal land. England and Wales require treasure finds to be reported. Ireland requires a licence to search for archaeological objects with a detector.

PinPoint Treasure's legal section has state-by-state and country guidance.

Sources: Archaeological Resources Protection Act (US); Treasure Act 1996 (England and Wales); National Monuments Acts (Ireland).

Can I keep treasure if I find it? It depends on where you find it. On private land, finds generally belong to the landowner unless you agree otherwise. On US federal land, archaeological objects over 100 years old cannot be removed without a permit. In England and Wales, finds that legally count as treasure must be reported to the coroner and may be acquired by a museum, with a reward shared between finder and landowner.

Can you metal detect in national parks? No, not in US National Parks: National Park Service rules prohibit possessing or using a metal detector in park areas, and disturbing or removing objects is illegal. National forests and BLM land are different and often allow recreational detecting outside protected sites.

What happens if you find treasure in the UK? The Treasure Act 1996 covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Finds that legally count as treasure, mainly gold and silver objects and coin hoards over 300 years old, must be reported to the local coroner within 14 days. A museum may acquire the find, and a reward is usually shared between the finder and the landowner.