[meteorite-list] Cold hunting question

From: joseph_town_at_att.net <joseph_town_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:54 2004
Message-ID: <20030913013329.0E7D8535B5_at_pairlist.net>

Hi Marcia,

Property varies so much from one juristiction to another. Public domain has
been outlined by the Supreme Court in cases of lost or discarded artifacts.
The FBI felt the need to set these precidents so they could dig through trash
on parkways for evidence in court. I read an old thread that said if I find
it, it's going in my pocket and that's all the validation I need. I think
that's the general rule although it may not sound appropriate.

Bill Kieskowski
> Hello Warren and List,
> Warren your question about property locale ownership, brought to mind a
> question of my own that I would appreciate an answer to, on or off-list,
> by yourself or other list members.
> I understand that when hunting on private property, you are supposed to
> get (written?) permission. I know that different Countries have
> different rules on whether or not a meteorite is property of finder or
> confiscated by government, or percentage of it taken for identification
> and record and display at museum, ect.
> My questions are regarding meteorites found in USA. What EXACTLY are
> the rules to guarentee that if you find one, say on public land ( State
> Park, lakeshore, river-bed, dry-lake, abandoned gravil pit, ect.) you
> can claim it without fear of confiscation, by State or Local
> authorities? I know this was an issue with the F.P. that supposedly
> "bounced" off the public sidewalk before hitting a home and was
> confiscated by local authorities ( Sorry to bring that unfortunate issue

> up), and there have been other instances. Is it the amount of money (
> it's worth) that determimes whether or not a counter-claim is laid on it
> by local, state, or is it the classification of the fall or find that
> again,makes it confiscatable? To be classed, especially if it were
> something really significant, you do have to say where it was found
> right ?
> How does this work? When something is found on private property, after
> having been given permission to look, what is the obligation of the
> collector in regards to payment to land- owner, should a possible
> meteorite, or a meteorite be found, or land owners right to
> counterclaim pwnership rights? I would truly appreciate guideline
> answers on some of these questions please, or reference reading
> material? Thank-you and Best Regards, Marcie
>
Received on Fri 12 Sep 2003 09:33:26 PM PDT