Passage Summary: A rare Roman helmet was sold to a private buyer because the law only protects items that are prehistoric or made of gold and silver. The author thinks this proves the law is failing to protect the country's heritage.

Conclusion: The current English law is an insufficient tool for ensuring the public has access to its archaeological history.

Reasoning: A rare Roman helmet was sold to a private collector because the law only applies to prehistoric items or those made of precious metals.

Analysis: The author draws a broad conclusion about the law's inadequacy based on a single loophole involving a Roman helmet. For this argument to work, the author must assume that items like this helmet—which are neither prehistoric nor made of precious metal—are actually a vital part of the national heritage. If such items weren't considered important, the law's failure to secure them wouldn't necessarily make the law 'inadequate.'