Klaipėda resident finds historical treasure but receives no reward

A resident of Klaipėda discovered a historical treasure trove of silver coins dating back to the 14th century and handed it over to the state, but received no reward, reports LRT.

The Cultural Heritage Department explained that a special treasure commission decides on such cases, determining the market value of the find and where it should be displayed. In this case, the treasure was transferred to the Klaipėda Museum of Lesser Lithuania, but the commission ruled that the finder had no right to compensation.

Ričardas Dediala, acting head of the Cultural Heritage Department’s Activity Coordination Division, stated that the key factor was how the treasure was discovered. The individual initially submitted a few items for evaluation, but later returned to the same site with a metal detector, recovering more artifacts. Lithuanian law prohibits the deliberate search for cultural artifacts, which voided any claim to a reward.

The situation also highlighted a broader issue: Lithuania lacks a clear permitting system for using metal detectors to search for cultural artifacts. Dediala noted that the state currently only regulates the prohibition of such searches, and no formal permits exist.

He emphasized that archaeological finds should be investigated using professional methods. The commission’s decision on the reward remains final, though museums may independently choose to offer compensation.

Laisvūnas Kavaliauskas, chief specialist at the Cultural Heritage Department’s Klaipėda Territorial Division, noted that metal detector users vary—some responsibly submit finds to authorities, while others, known as “black archaeologists,” engage in illegal searches that damage heritage sites. He cited a 2009 case where two individuals were fined for damaging multiple cemeteries in western Lithuania.

Kavaliauskas added that this was the first such case involving a treasure find in Klaipėda.