Treasure finds in 2024 were at record levels
2024 was a “record-breaking” year for reported treasure finds and treasure cases, the British Museum has confirmed. The museum announced its annual figures for the Portable Antiques Scheme (PAS) and Treasure for the year, a third consecutive record-breaking year.
Over the past three years, there have been “significant increases,” the museum said, in the number of finds reported by the public, with 79,616 finds recorded in 2024, up from 74,506 in 2023 and 53,490 in 2022. 1,540 treasure cases were reported in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 2024, the highest ever in a single year and an increase of 163 on 2023.
These are largely thanks to metal detectorists, who are responsible for 94% of recorded finds and “demonstrate the vital contribution made by members of the public to documenting and preserving the nation’s history.”
Norfolk (7,120), Suffolk (5,410), Lincolnshire (5,133) and Gloucestershire (5,034) lead the way. All are agricultural counties with a “rich archaeological heritage,” according to the British Museum.
Over the same period, Norfolk (138), Hampshire (110) and North Yorkshire (109), all recored the highest number of treasure finds, with over 92% of objects being recovered from cultivated lands where archaeological material can be especially vulnerable to agricultural damage.
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