Looks like the UK government will probably be richer soon. If no heir can be found for original piano owner, hoard of gold sovereigns and half sovereigns will be declared treasure belonging to government. I think new owners of piano are kicking themselves for not examining it closer before sending it for tuning. Do you think you would have kept the gold and not reported it? Just sell it off slowly and quietly?
Maybe it's just me being a naive American, but this concept of "treasure that is property of the Crown" seems bizarre to me. The Crown has no claim on the piano they bought, why would they have any claim to something hidden inside it?
I'm pretty sure I would have kept quiet and sold them off a sovereign at a time to different gold dealers.
Quote: "Peter M. Graham"Owners of the piano should own the coins, period.
Agreed. Who cares where it's been from 1906-1983? This family has owned it since then and should own it now. The only other option I could see would be the old owner getting it but surely it's considered abandoned after 30+ years. Or if someone had it stolen from them and had a record like a police report or something.
It's basically legal theft that the Crown has this option.
