National Museum of Ireland paid over €110,000 for ancient axe-heads, swords, coins and bog butter discovered by the public
The payments were made by the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) as a reward for good citizenship and for handing over the artefacts to the State. Members of the public received €45,850 in 2023 for finding ancient coins, swords, “bog butter” and crucifixes. Payments totalling €4,200, along with books and tote bags from the National Museum, were sent to finders in Ulster as reward for finding an axe-head and a sword. Bronze Age axe-heads sent anonymously to the National Museum of Ireland in 2024, packaged in a used Flahavan’s box. The museum said rewards were paid based on the intrinsic value of the items, and their general historical and archaeological importance.
Source: Irish Independent January 01, 2026 05:32 UTC
