All the treasures discovered in Wiltshire and Salisbury last year

This comes as the number of treasure finds in England and Wales has reached a record high as more and more people take up metal detecting.

The Ministry of Justice’s annual coroner statistics show that 82 treasure finds were reported in Wiltshire and Swindon in 2023, compared to 73 the previous year.

Across England and Wales, 1,219 cases of treasure discoveries were reported to coroners last year, an increase of 12% on 2022 and the highest number ever recorded.

The Justice Department said the number of discoveries has steadily increased since the Treasure Act came into force in 1997, when only 54 discoveries were reported.

They added that the number had been “more volatile” in recent years and that there had been a significant increase in metal detecting activity during and since the pandemic.

Given the growing interest in treasure hunting, the Detectorist Institute and Foundation warned that the value of treasures could be reduced if they are damaged during excavations.

Its founder, Keith Westcott, said: “There is so much to be learned from treasure finds if handled properly. In some cases, organic materials such as leather can be left in place, giving archaeologists invaluable insights into how we lived in the past.”

The Justice Department noted that the number of finds varied across the country, most likely due to geographical and historical differences. Norfolk had the most treasure finds, with 95.

Across the southwest, 176 finds were recorded last year, an increase from 156 the year before.

There was an increase in finds in all regions except the south-east. The east of England recorded the most finds last year, with 284 finds.

The definition of treasure was updated in July last year. Previously, newly discovered artifacts were considered treasure if they were more than 300 years old and were made of precious metal or were part of a collection of valuable objects or artifacts.

According to the new criteria, the most exceptional finds that are more than 200 years old will be classified as treasures if they provide important insights into the country’s cultural heritage.

Mr Westcott said: “By bringing this condition into effect, it is hoped that future finds such as the Crosby-Garret helmet, a Roman Calvary helmet dating to the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD, can be saved from being sold at auction.”

The helmet was found nearby by an unnamed metal detectorist in May 2010. According to the old definition, it was not considered treasure.