If you are a Metal Detectorist

Please feel free to contact us for advice as we are always happy to work with responsible metal detectorists.

Any finds made should be reported to a museum or ourselves (using our online form where possible) with a note of the grid reference as to where they were found (a 6-figure or more national grid reference is preferable).

The current policy that the Archaeology Service adopts for Metal Detectorists in the NE of Scotland is as follows:

• No metal detecting on any Council owned land or property without prior agreement with the Archaeology Service.
• No metal detecting on or within 20m of any Scheduled Ancient Monument. Under current legislation this is a criminal offence with an associated fine of up to £20,000 and/or a jail sentence.
• No metal detecting on known archaeological monuments. If you are unsure as to whether you are detecting on a known monument then please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.

Nearly all finds in Scotland are subject to Treasure Trove Law. Unlike England the objects in Scotland do not have to be made of precious metals in order to be claimed under the Law. Full details on the Law can be found on the Treasure Trove website.

Any finds that you report to the Archaeology Service will be initially identified by us, and if deemed appropriate we will complete the necessary paperwork and send the finds to the Finds Allocation Panel in Edinburgh on your behalf. The finds will then either be claimed as Treasure Trove and an appropriate award given to you as the finder, or they will be disclaimed and returned to us for passing back to you.