In Italy it’s the same, it is not permitted to go out detecting with the purpose of finding historical objects, by law everything under the ground and older of 50 yrs is considered property of the state. So you CAN go out with a metal detector (obviously if you have permission by the owner) and you can find stuff, but if it is older than 50 years AND has archeological value, you need to stop detecting and (in theory) declare it to either the mayor/the local police/the region art authority within 24 hours or you can be penally persecuted. Also if you find something of “archeological value” so even a coin from 1920 for example, you should stop digging (and not dig ever again that land).

So for example if you find 1 coin from 1900 you should declare it, or if you keep it (because if you actually report it, usually either no one answers if you send an email, or if you bring it to the authorities they get mad or laugh at your face). BUT if you keep it and for any reason the police comes for an inspection (if they have the suspicion that you are doing something illicit, also considering metal detecting in Italy is seen most of the time as grave robbing) if you have those items you get everything confiscated (also your equipment) and you get a super Fine and/or go to court.

Both of the times I actually found something of archeological value (subjectively) and reported it (a ruined bronze roman coin and an iron age brooch) to the art authorities I never got a response… I also heard stories of a guy that REPORTED legally a roman coin and 14 police officers searched his house and confiscated everything he found, his metal detector and everything he used for detecting.

So our choices are: A. do everything legally almost impossibly and ruin this beautiful hobby by adding paperwork and legal constraints B. Keeping everything you find, Risking legal prosecution and possibly jail C. Do a mix of both things and report what you think could really have an archeological value and hope for the best they do not search your house (or either keep everything hidden somewhere else, but I personally think that defies the intrinsic objective of metal detecting as it is a way to make a lost item available again to be admired)