Ethics: Finding valuable property or money

[syrenn]

Using the California couple who discovered a treasure trove buried on their property as example, is selling the gold coins ethical? Did they try at all to find the owner? Presumedly someone buried it there way back, or more likely stole it then buried it. But if it was stolen, I'd think the law requires returning it, not my area of knowledge though. But let's assume someone saved it up over a lifetime and buried it as their bank. If not looking for family still around and returning their ancestor's property unethical?

I say yes. They should have returned it. Money of that amount isn't hard to find the rightful owner to. Or some living descendent. Better to return it and be thanked, possibly rewarded with your honor intact, than effectively steal it insofar as conscience informs, if not in the eyes of the law which probably allows you to keep it.

I found $28 in a wallet as a kid and kept it, much to my chagrin to this day. If I found $10M in gold coins I'd not keep a dime, my conscience wouldn't allow me to. If I couldn't find a rightful owner I'd at least set up some kinf of local trust so the money benefits the area in which it was found like buying any public land and making it a reserve or an educaitonal fund for local students, something more than merely pocketing it.

It depends on what exactly we are talking about here.....

finding 100 year old cans of gold on MY property..... that's mine.


ive found a wallet in a shopping cart in the parking lot. It was stuffed with not so much money, only about 60 bucks, but credit cards and all of this woman's life. We took it to the police station..... money and all.

one time in NYC..... we watched a couple get up and leave..... we looked over and a bag was still over the chair. We grabbed it... looked in...and it was full of travelers checks.... and passports. We called over the manager and gave it to him.

 

[Zoom-boing]

From a purely spiritual pov - void of legal rights - I would still say the person who found gold on their property owns it and should consider it a blessing. Enjoy it and spend it however. I don't believe ANY of my Jewish or Christian brethren would disagree with me on that one. This one is guilt - free. Mazel Tov!

As a Jew, I disagree. Every attempt should be made at locating the rightful owner, or surviving family member to take possession of it. If none exists or can be located after some fair length of time, use the money to benefit the area it was found via public trust or educational fund. But keeping it 'becuase I found it on my property' is simply a legally excused form of theft.

if you discovered oil under your property would you donate it to a public trust?.......

If you discovered oil on your property you'd be a Clampett.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

From a purely spiritual pov - void of legal rights - I would still say the person who found gold on their property owns it and should consider it a blessing. Enjoy it and spend it however. I don't believe ANY of my Jewish or Christian brethren would disagree with me on that one. This one is guilt - free. Mazel Tov!

As a Jew, I disagree. Every attempt should be made at locating the rightful owner, or surviving family member to take possession of it. If none exists or can be located after some fair length of time, use the money to benefit the area it was found via public trust or educational fund. But keeping it 'becuase I found it on my property' is simply a legally excused form of theft.

if you discovered oil under your property would you donate it to a public trust?.......

Oil's naturally occuring. Something someone obviously buried there isn't.

 

[PostmodernProph]

As a Jew, I disagree. Every attempt should be made at locating the rightful owner, or surviving family member to take possession of it. If none exists or can be located after some fair length of time, use the money to benefit the area it was found via public trust or educational fund. But keeping it 'becuase I found it on my property' is simply a legally excused form of theft.

if you discovered oil under your property would you donate it to a public trust?.......

Oil's naturally occuring. Something someone obviously buried there isn't.

but, just because the previous owner left the oil there.......does that make it yours?......

 

[Jughead]

Possession is 9/10's of the law.

 

[Chuckt]

if you discovered oil under your property would you donate it to a public trust?.......

Oil's naturally occuring. Something someone obviously buried there isn't.

but, just because the previous owner left the oil there.......does that make it yours?......

I don't know.

If I pay for a burial plot and the owners sell the land, does it mean the burial plots aren't mine?

 

[PostmodernProph]

Oil's naturally occuring. Something someone obviously buried there isn't.

but, just because the previous owner left the oil there.......does that make it yours?......

I don't know.

If I pay for a burial plot and the owners sell the land, does it mean the burial plots aren't mine?

please keep in mind that I am countering Delta's argument.......I do not believe it unethical to keep gold coins found on property I have purchased (or oil).......I am merely demonstrating that his argument is illogical......

 

[jon_berzerk]

as a young kid my brother and i found a rather large meteorite

in our yard

i took it to school for show and tell

and the school tried to confiscate it

--LOL

when that didnt work

they tried scare tactics to obtain it

saying in might be radioactive and such

--LOL