You are digging for skulls in your back yard, but instead find a box full of rare gold coins. Are you obligated to tell the IRS?

I don't think you would have to tell the IRS if you just kept the chest of coins for a coffee table conversation piece. But if you make money selling it you would have to declare it come tax time. A chest of old rare coins could have a pirate  curse on it so it might be better to leave then alone. Cheers!

Sadly they do expect you to tell them. And sometimes the state comes in and trys to claim it as theirs.  

First, you hire an attorney and let him handle it. 

I would first find out the value of the coins and their provenance.  If they are considered to be stolen artifacts from another country, they may have to be returned to that country.  If it is determined that no one is claiming them, I would then decide whether I wanted to keep them or sell them.  

Why would the IRS care that you're digging for skulls?  

 

  Don’t tell me, let me guess. This means I could be pregnant, right?

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Are you shoting me!?! Fook the I.R.S!