Legal Definition and Related Resources of Treasure Trove

money or coin, gold, silver, plate or bullion found hidden in the earth or other private place , the owner thereof being unknown. At common law , a treasure trove belongs to the crown .

Found treasure. This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, which, having been hidden or concealed in the earth or other private place so long that its owner is unknovm, has been discovered by accident. Should the owner be found, it must be restored to him; and in case of not finding him, the property, according to the English law, belongs to the king. In the latter case, by the civil law, when the treasure was found by the owner of the soil, he was considered as entitled to it by the double title of owner and finder; when found on another’s property, one-half belonged to the owner of the estate and the other to the finder; when found on public property, it belonged one-half to the public treasury and the other to the finder. Lecon. du Dr. Rom. §§350-352. This includes not only gold and silver, but whatever may constitute riches; as, vases, urns, statues, etc. The Roman definition includes the same things under the word pecunia; but the thing found must have a commercial value ; for ancient tombs would not be considered a treasure. The thing must have been hidden or concealed in the earth, and no one must be able to establish his right to it. It must be found by a pure accident, and not in consequence of search. Dalloz, “Propriete,” art. 3, §3. According to the French law, le tresor est toute chose cachee ou enfouie, sur laquelle personne ne pent justifier sa propriete, et quie est decouverte par le pur effet du hasard. Code Civ. 716. See 4 Toullier, Dr. Civ. note 34. See, generally, 20 Viner, Abr. 414; 7 Comyn, Dig. 649; 1 Brown, Civ. Law, 237; 1 Bl. Comm. 295; Poth. Traite du Droit de Propriete, art. 4.

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Treasure Trove in Historical Law

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This definition of Treasure Trove is based on the The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary . This entry needs to be proofread.

Vocabularies (Semantic Web Information)

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Treasure Trove in the United States

Treasure Trove in Connecticut

Consists of coins or currency concealed by the owner . . . . It includes an element of antiquity . . . . To be classified as treasure trove, the property must have been hidden or concealed for such a length of time that the owner is probably dead or undiscoverable. Benjamin v. Lindner Aviation, Inc., 534 N.W.2d 400, 406 (Iowa 1995).

Treasure trove in Law Enforcement

Main Entry: Law Enforcement in the Legal Dictionary. This section provides, in the context of Law Enforcement, a partial definition of treasure trove.

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See Also

• Law Enforcement Officer
• Police
• Law Enforcement Agency

Further Reading

• treasure trove in A Dictionary of Law Enforcement (Oxford University Press)
• treasure trove in the Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement
• A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis

Meaning of Treasure Trove in the Past

Found treasure.

Developments

This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate or bullion, which having been hidden or concealed in the earth or other private place, so long that its owner is unknown, has been discovered by accident. Should the owner be found it must be restored to him; and if not finding him, the property (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia), according to the English law, belongs to the king. In the latter case, by the civil law, when the treasure was found by the owner of the soil, he was considered as entitled to it by the double title of owner and finder; when found on another’s property (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia), one-half belonged to the owner of the estate and the other to the finder; when found on public property (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia), it belonged one-half to the public treasury and the other to the finder. Lecons du Dr. Rom. 350-352. This includes not only gold and silver, but whatever may constitute riches, as vases, urns, statues, etc.

Details

The Roman definition includes the same things under the word pecunia; but the thing found must have a commercial value for ancient tombs would not be considered a treasure. The thing must have been hidden or concealed in the earth; and no one must be able to establish his right to it. It must be found, by a pure accident (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia) and not as a result of search. Dall. Dict. Propriete, art. 3, s. 3.

Other Aspects

According to the French law, le tresor est toute chose cachee ou enfouie, sur laquelle personne ne peut justifier sa propriete, et qui est decouverte par lo pur effet du hasard. Code Civ. 716. Vide 4 Toull. n. 34. Vide, generally, 20 Vin. Abr. 414; 7 Comyn’s Digest (A digest of the laws of England, 1822) 649; 1 Bro. Civ. Law, 237; 1 Blackstone’s Comm. 295; Poth. Traite du Dr. de Propreite, art. 4.[1]

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Notes and References

1. Partialy, this information about treasure trove is based on the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, including treasure trove.

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