Treasure

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales has a legal role linked with the reporting of Treasure finds made in Wales. Its archaeology curators provide advice and recommendations to Coroners on which finds, made each year by members of the public, legally qualify as Treasure.


What qualifies legally as Treasure?

How does the legal treasure reporting process work?

Treasure news and recent finds

  Who should I contact?  
Map of Wales with each county marked on it, some counties have been coloured either green, orange or red to define how many treasures have been found in the area

Reported 2007-22 (n=525)
Key: White = no cases; Green = 1 case; orange = 2-5 cases; red = 6 or more cases per community area

© Crown copyright 2023 OS licence 100025805.

Treasure found in Wales every year by members of the public

Currently, between 60 and 80 cases of Treasure are found and reported in Wales each year.

Since 1997, around 850 Treasure finds have been made in Wales, mostly by metal-detectorists. Together, these form a cultural resource of growing importance for the nation; they are helping to re-write the early histories of Wales and help us to build connections with places and landscapes.

Treasure is legally protected in relation to the Treasure Act 1996 and Coroners in Wales are responsible for taking decisions on whether finds made in Wales legally qualify as Treasure or not. Curators based at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales provide advice and make recommendations to Coroners on cases of reported Treasure. Most Treasure items or groups have been acquired by local museums across Wales for the benefit of current and future generations.

Treasure has been found in every county and unitary authority of Wales.

    What kinds of finds have been found to be Treasure?

  • Prehistoric bronze weapon and tool groups, buried together (Bronze & Iron Ages)
  • Single items or groups of Bronze Age gold jewellery
  • Coin groups and hoards of Iron Age, Roman, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart date (over 300 years old)
  • Medieval brooches of silver or gold
  • Gold and silver finger rings over 300 years old
  • Dress fittings, badges, bodkins, thimbles and seal matrices, all of gold or silver and over 300 years old