Police officers detained an individual after seizing numerous Medieval artefacts that he tried to sell at online auctions, The artefacts were obtained illegally through use of a metal detector at an unregistered archaeological site in Grunwald, Poznań, Western Poland.

Police officers from Poznań were informed that a man residing in Płock was attempting to sell archaeological artefacts at online auctions. Police raids at the individual’s house and office were conducted during which the officers secured numerous artefacts, including old coins, ass well as a metal detector. It turned out that the man collected them using the detector without any legal permits, kept the artefacts and attempted to sell them on the Internet.

Among the artefacts were parts of armaments, arrowheads, medallions, devotional articles, and numerous coins, including ones minted during the reign of John of Bohemia and Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (14th century). Local heritage authorities confirmed the originality of the artefacts. The detained individual was faced with charges of theft of items of cultural heritage value.

(after Komenda Miejsca Policji w Poznaniu)