The key facts

  • A treasure without cultural value found by the owner on his own plot belongs to him entirely
  • A find made by another person with the landowner's consent is split equally
  • Treasures with historical or cultural value are transferred to the state, but the finder and the owner receive 50% of the value

What the law considers a treasure and who gets it

The reason for the explanation was typical dacha situations: old coins, jewelry, or a box of money discovered during home renovation or digging up the plot. Lawyer, owner of the TERSKIKH Legal Center Viktor Terskikh told Gazeta.Ruthat the law defines a treasure as hidden money or valuables whose owner cannot be established or who has lost the right to them — this is Article 233 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

Three scenarios for dividing a find

According to the lawyer, if a treasure is found on one's own plot by the owner himself and contains no cultural heritage items, it may belong entirely to the finder. If the treasure was discovered by another person with the landowner's consent — for example, a worker during renovations — the find is split equally between the finder and the plot owner. Someone who searched for treasure on someone else's land without permission has no right to a share: the find goes to the landowner.

Treasures with cultural value and the reward

A special case concerns old coins, archaeological objects, jewelry, and other items of historical, artistic, or cultural value. Such a treasure must be handed over to the state, but the plot owner and the finder receive a reward equal to 50% of the find's value. If the treasure was found on his own land by the owner himself, he may claim the entire amount.

What to do after a find

The lawyer advises photographing the items and the discovery site, not cleaning the coins, not dividing the collection, and not going to resellers 'just to find out the price.' The find must be reported to the police, the items handed over with an inventory, and a receipt document obtained — in Terskikh's view, this is a guarantee of rights to the reward and protection from claims by the state or other parties. A separate warning concerns dangerous objects: 'If the found item looks dangerous: a weapon, ammunition, an incomprehensible device with wires — do not touch it. Move to a safe distance and call 112,' Gazeta.Ru quotes the lawyer as saying.