This BBC report is unintentionally hilarious:
Experts say the collection of 1,500 gold and silver pieces, which may date to the 7th Century, is unparalleled in size and worth "a seven figure sum".
Worth a seven figure sum, eh? How about "priceless," instead? It's rather like saying a lost child was found wandering the streets and "experts say his organs might fetch tens of thousands of dollars on the open market."
WOW!!!
ReplyDeleteThis sure is a big news item - lots of media coverage.
ReplyDeleteThe 'priceless' comment struck me, too.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm looking forward to the competitions to decipher the previously unknown riddle...
I've been getting asked about this all day by family and friends. I'm pretty surprised by how much mainstream press attention this find is getting. Maybe it's the metal-detector angle?
ReplyDeleteI think the metal-detector angle IS it. The subtext of so many of these stories is, "Hey, you too could find millions of dollars in lost treasure too! If only you had a metal detector!"
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see figures on whether or not metal detector sales have gone up in the UK.
I'm just waiting for an official report, with all the juicy archaeological details. Unfortunately, the media is far more concerned about how many figures it's going to fetch!
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the metal detector angle. This hoard has to be valued; legally, the finder and landowner are due compensation for the state taking it off them, and so some kind of price does have to be set. So it's not just bottom-end pressure; one of the things that will happen over the next six months as it's studied is that the various agencies involved will have to come up with a figure on behalf of, well, the Crown. It may indeed be priceless, but that won't do for the Treasure Process.
ReplyDeleteWhen the finder appeals for a higher one, though, then your suspicions can be fully justified.