Poland to reform monument protection laws and reward treasure hunters

Poland is set to implement significant changes to the monument protection law starting January 1, 2027. The amendment aims to formalize amateur treasure hunting by replacing lengthy permit processes with a mobile application managed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Users will be able to report search intentions and findings directly through the app, provided they have landowner consent.

The development of the application is estimated to cost 2.5 million PLN. However, the new regulations introduce substantial financial implications. Finders of archaeological artifacts with high historical or scientific value may receive rewards of up to 25 times the average salary (approximately 222,000 PLN), with exceptional cases reaching 30 times the average.

Experts have raised concerns regarding a potential “gold rush” and the massive fiscal impact. The Ministry of Culture estimates that reward payouts could reach 3.25 billion PLN in the first year, with an additional 3 billion PLN required for the expertise, conservation, and storage of discovered items. These figures represent a significant portion of the Ministry’s total projected budget.