David Williams' treasures and the role of the Finds Liaison Officer in the treasure process

Abstract

• The Treasure Act 1996 makes it a legal requirement for finds of gold and silver objects, coin and prehistoric base-metal hoards to be reported to the Coroner. Its purpose is to enable museums to acquire these finds for public benefit. In practice the administration of cases reported under this law is not possible without the Finds Liaison Officers (FLOs) of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). Using examples from David Williams’ long involvement with the Treasure process, this paper illustrates how integral the FLO is to its operation.