I just got back from a trip to Croatia.

[John 'n' W.Va]

Most places are strictly prohibited to MD'ing so I left mine home.

I did a lot of drooling. Took a lot of nice pictures. I was in one place that was inhabited for over 4000 years. I could have easily MD'ed some locations without a soul in the area. I met one Croatian man that does that. He owned an antique shop in Split. He laughed at me and said you find things maybe 100 to 300 years old. He said I find things 1000 to 3000 years old. He had an unbelievable amount of things. Lots a things from Roman uniforms. swords, knives, statues, oh forget it. It's too long to list,

After talking for a while about MD'ing. He shows me a beautiful statue priced at $23,000. I said how can you sell this stuff. Isn't it against the law to sell your countries archives? He laughed and pointed to his eye. My people can get anything out of the country to who ever wants to buy it. He said you would be arrested immediately where I can go MD'ing. His arrogance and demeanor disgusted me. He wasn't a man of principal.

He grouped me with him as a fellow metal detectorist. He pull out a wooden box full of Roman coins. He said for you only 15 kuna ($3) each.

We had talked for a long time, this man was for real. He disgusted me and I declined his offer and left. I would have loved to had a Roman coin, but the price was too high. My dignity.

Note : The people of Croatia are wonderful and very friendly. Anyone in their 20's and younger can speak English. I easily drove from one end of the country to the other.


Trogir
[attachment 211197 compressed2.jpg]
Mali alan pass
[attachment 211198 compressed.jpg]
Old Roman city, Salona.
[attachment 211199 compressed3.jpg]
Coastal is dry, Mediterranean.
[attachment 211200 compressed4.jpg]
Inland is forest and lots of water falls.
[attachment 211201 compressed5.jpg]
Lots of water falls.
[attachment 211202 compressed6.jpg]

 

[dld]

beautiful pictures, I am afraid I would of had to swallow my pride and bought a few coins

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

Nice pictures, looking at those old structures
must of had you drooling at what could have
been found there detecting.
Thanks for posting !

 

[scubadetector]

n/t

 

[Tom_in_CA]

"He said you would be arrested immediately where I can go MD'ing."

Judging from some of the forum posts on hunting sites here in the USA, this exact quote could be listed time and time again, for places here too. And I'm not just talking obvious historic monuments (state, federal, etc...) but ....... heck, but even for city curb-strips, regular city parks, vacant abandoned lots, etc....

I think it's our human nature to say these things for a whole host of sites, no matter whether anyone really cares or not. I once listed a detector sale on an forum classifieds, and got an inquiry from a European country. I ended up making a deal with the guy, and got ready to ship it. But my curiosity got the better of me, and I looked up his country on this website:

http://www.ncmd.co.uk/law.html

I couldn't help but ask him "I thought it was illegal there?". He said the laws only applied to public land, and don't apply to farmer's lands, with permission. Or quite frankly, he told me ...... they're so far out in the boonies and mountains, no one is ever really there to care. There's actually clubs, dealers, etc... in that country I found out. Yet from reading the link, you would think it's all but illegal. Point is, the quote your antiques dealer friend said to you, could, and does, get said all the time for here in the USA too.

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

We got talking about MD'ing. It was over a business phone call and I never knew his name. He was retired from the national park service! Other park Rangers would take watch as he MD'ed the area after dark. Yes, it happens here.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

And as another example, there's been lots of people who got ready to vacation in Mexico (like at beach resorts), and "inquired ahead" about laws, rules, etc..... Perhaps they ask a lawyer type, or a border bureaucrat, consolate, etc.... Someone tells them "no". So they leave the detector at home. Imagine their surprise when they get to Cozomul, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, etc... and see that detectors are a common site on tourist beaches! Doh!

So that's what I'm saying: if you ask enough people (Even amongst our own ranks! Even here in the USA!) you will get the same dire sounding things. And sure, I suppose if you asked enough bureaucrats in Croatia:

"Hi, can I dig holes and rob antiquities in Croatia, for my own personal enjoyment and profit on ebay, and take them out of the country?"

What do you think they're going to say? The very same answer your antiquities dealer told you! But think of it: IF YOU ASKED THE VERY SAME QUESTION at any city hall across the united states, about the sandbox in their park:

"Hi, can I dig holes and rob antiquities in the city park, for my own personal enjoyment and profit on ebay, and take them out of the park?"

What do you think they're going to say? The very same answer your antiquities dealer told you! Yup, even in places where no one ever cared, or would have noticed. I'm not saying that every country is as free-wheeling as the USA. But remember, a lot of the rules (that you can read about on links like the one I gave above), are the technical answers, much like you might find for Mexico, for instance. But like in the case of Mexico, they were drafted to apply to things like raiding the pyramaids, federal lands, (and not private property with permission), or shipwreck salvor things (ala mel fisher legal hassles), or exporting gold bars out of the country, and other such things. But don't tend to get applied to casual beach-goer stuff, or single-coin-hunting type hobbyist stuff. But obviously JUST LIKE IN THE USA, if you were to go snooping around obvious historic monuments, or hunt in front of archies, well then sure, you're asking for trouble.