Metal detectorist to auction Roman helmet

[Madweasels]

There is so much innuendo doing the circuit about this helmet. One person knows of a military specialist who has serious doubts about its authenticity, another has an enlightening talk to a PAS officer (enlightened in which way, please?), someone else doubts the union of the helmet with the griffin, someone else doubts the findspot. I don't think I have spoken to anyone yet who has said - yep, its the real deal because A, B, C etc. And yet the BM and PAS have given it a green light which, no doubt, has helped its value to go up and up. There is a lot of knowledge and experience there, but could even they have had the wool pulled over their eyes? What gives with this damn thing? Do we have another 'Piltdown', a 'Fujimura', or is it really a staggering British find? And think of the paradox. Whatever its authenticity it might still get a law changed. A law changed because of a possible (alleged) false find - and yet laws remain unchanged or not introduced while the mainstream profession is struggling harder and harder to make ends meet and preserve, on way or the other, the nation's heritage. Weird!!!

Our Hosty, you are very well-connected and I for one, along with many here, trust your analysis of the word on the street. Any chance of giving us a view? Or is it too tricky a thing to do - with allegations heaped on allegations - the makings of a classic modern day conspiracy theory. Whatever, a BAJR mini poll asking what the readers what they think, to gauge professional opinion based, of course, on just what we have heard and picked up, might be revealing. So, That Helmet - True or False. Its findspot - True or False. A British find - True or False.