Antiques, Artefacts, Cultural, and Grave Related items
Many Antiques, Artefacts, Cultural, or Grave Related items are protected under national laws and government bodies.
All sellers remain responsible for complying with all applicable laws, regulations or restrictions for Antiques, Artefacts, Cultural, or Grave Related items.
If the information you are looking for is on this page relating to Antiques, Artefacts, Cultural, or Grave Related items then we encourage you
to research the applicable laws and regulations before listing the item.
If you see any such Antiques, Artefacts, Cultural, or Grave Related items that should not be for sale please contact us or use the report tab on the details page.
We allow the following:
- Export of personal property by producer or manufacturer.
- The export of stamps, marriage, birth or death certificates, and any letters written by or to the exporter.
- Any cave formations that have been lawfully taken from private land.
- New burial plots and grave markers.
The following is Restricted:
- Any potential treasure found in England and Wales before 24 September 1997 should be reported under the Treasure Trove law, Sellers must include documentation/proof in their listing description that items were reported under the Treasure Trove law.
- Any potential treasure found in England and Wales on or after 24 September 1997 should also be reported under the Treasure Act, Sellers must include documentation/proof in their listing description that items were reported under the Treasure Act.
- Sellers must provide either Crown Disclaimer Documents or the find's Treasure Number which sellers must include in their listing description that do not fall under the definition of Treasure, but has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme are issued with a unique reference number.
- Listing any items that have been found in Scotland must include pictures of their certification that show the item has been reported and that they have been given legal entitlement to sell their found item(s).
- Listing Items found in Northern Ireland should provide a picture of their certification to show the items have been reported to the Ulster Museum or the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service.
- Listing items recovered from the Republic of Ireland should provide evidence to prove that the items were reported under the National Monuments Act.
- Since the ownership of archaeological objects automatically vests in the Irish state, sellers should also be able to provide evidence of a waiver of ownership from the relevant Minister.
- Stalactites and stalagmites or Speleothems taken from caves that have been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest if prior permission has been obtained from Natural England.
The export of cultural goods and antiquities is subject to EU, UK and Irish controls:
- UK law specifies that any item(s) produced or manufactured more than 50 years before the date of exportation must have an export licence.
- Under Irish law, if an item is covered by the National Monuments Act 1930-2004 then the Documents and Pictures (Regulations of Export) Act 1945 or the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 to be removed outside the Republic of Ireland. sellers must provide an export licence that has been obtained from the relevant Minister.
- Under EU law, the export of cultural goods outside the EU must have an export licence.
Countries outside of the EU, and UK must follow their laws failing to do so could result in account suspension.
The following is Prohibited:
(Not to be listed on BNSBids at all at any time)
- Any archaeological finds that have not been reported following all applicable laws.
You cannot sell Archives Public records or documents as it is illegal. Restriction on selling these items is based on various laws, this includes the following:
- Local Government Act.
- Data Protection Act.
- Public Record Act.
- Tithe Rules.
- Manorial Documents Rules.
- Parochial Records and the Registers Measure.
For any information on this, the seller should check the UK National Archives on legislation on archives and records management or other archival legislation.
Looted or stolen goods. See INTERPOL Stolen Works of Art Database as well as the International Council of Museums Red Lists Database which identifies categories of cultural goods most vulnerable to illicit traffic
Any tainted cultural goods that have been illegally excavated or removed after 30 December 2003 (UK's Dealing in Cultural Object (Offences) Act 2003).
Stalactites and stalagmites or Speleothems that have been taken from caves designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Tombstones and related markers or historical graves
URL Links for Information:
Follow any guidelines issued by the following departments Listed Below when listing related items.
