I wasn't really suggesting the item was Roman - far from it. But if the date is uncertain, and
might be more than 300 years old the item must be reported to the coroner for the district in
which it was found within 14 days of being found. If the stamp really does include 07 - the of
course it can't be Roman - if however, it was part of the date 1707 for instance (rather than
2007, 1907 or 1807), then the item would be treasure. There are well defined obligations on
the finder of such an item. All legal process may well have been undergone in this case, I
have no idea, but if the piece is still in the possession of the finder then it suggests that the
coroner may not (yet) have been involved - in which case the finder should take advice on
how to proceed...
Detailed chemical or metallographic examination, such as Bernard suggests, might well then
be required, and commissioned, by the coroner in order to make a determination.
Tim
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Dr Tim Young
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Web: www.geoarch.co.uk
Phone: 07802 413704
Fax: 08700 547366
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