The Treasure Valuation Committee is an advisory non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport based in London, which offers expert advice to the government on items of declared treasure in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that museums there may wish to acquire from the Crown. The terms of reference of the TVC are laid down in the Treasure Act 1996Code of Practice, which also details the principle of reward payments to finders and landowner for finds of Treasure which are acquired by museums. The TVC recommends to the Secretary of State the value of treasure finds which come before it, and also makes recommendations on the allocation of rewards and abatements of rewards where circumstances require. Minutes of its meetings are published on the website of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, after all of the cases discussed therein are concluded. The TVC meets at the British Museum but is independent of the museum.
Members
Members of the Committee are appointed by ministers in the DCMS. Terms of service are currently five years in length, with the possibility of renewal for a total length of service of 10 years. Members are not paid for their service.
Marian Campbell – Expert in medieval and post-medieval artefacts and former Senior Curator of Metalwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum
Hetty Gleave – Partner at Hunters Solicitors in Lincoln's Inn. Specialist in cultural property law.
Christopher Martin – Proprietor and managing director of CJ Martin Coins and Ancient Art Ltd, and St James's Ancient Art. He is also Chairman of the British Numismatic Trade Association, and of the Antiquities Dealers Association.
With the commencement of the Treasure Act on 24 September 1997, the Treasure Valuation Committee replaced the earlier Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee. Those who have served on the Treasure Valuation Committee include:
Trevor Austin – General Secretary of the National Council of Metal Detecting
Jim Brown – Specialist with Dix Noonan Webb auctioneers
Professor Ian Carradice – Expert in ancient coinage and former Professor of Art History and Director of University Museum Collections, University of St Andrews.
John Casey – Expert in ancient numismatics
John Cherry – Former Keeper of the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities at the British Museum
Peter A. Clayton – Archaeologist and Numismatist, former Head of Antiquities at Seaby's Ltd.
Thomas Curtis – Expert in ancient numismatics and affiliated with AH Baldwin and Sons coin dealers
