Treasure Act

The Treasure Act is a UK law that requires people to report valuable historical items, known as "treasures," they find buried or hidden in the ground. If an object is metal, over 300 years old, and of historical interest, it must be reported to the local authorities so it can be preserved for public benefit. The law helps protect England’s cultural heritage by ensuring important discoveries are studied, recorded, and sometimes acquired by museums, rather than privately kept or lost. The act balances individual rights with the preservation of national history.