Options
Urgent request from CNG! (ancients)
TwoKopeiki
Posts: 9,541 ✭✭✭✭✭
Not sure if anyone else received this:
<< <i>Urgent Request from CNG
Dear Roman XXXXXXXX:
Once again the ancient numismatic industry is asking our supporting customers to come to the aid of the industry. This is an urgent request. Please take a few minutes to read the following and if you, like us, believe action is needed then take it upon yourself to respond in one of the ways suggested at the end.
The U.S. State Department has announced a date of May 6-7 for Cultural Property Advisory Committee hearings on the request for renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding with Italy. In practical terms, the U.S. government is about to decide whether antiquities and other forms of cultural property that Italy claims as its heritage ought to be restricted from entry into the U.S. unless accompanied by Italian export permits. There is already such an agreement in place, but ancient coins have been exempted twice before in these renewal requests that cover a 5-year window. We have very good reason to believe that Italy and members of the archaeological community will this time seek to add coins to the list of restricted items. There is a period open for public comment on the issue and the best way to comment is by fax.
Why oppose these import restrictions? Because Roman coins are at the very core of the cultural experience that we all treasure. They have circulated all over the known world in antiquity and since through trade and collector markets. It is impossible to distinguish a Roman coin found in Britain, for example, from exactly the same type, mint, etc found in Italy. Requiring an export permit from Italy on a coin found and legally exported from Britain would not only be impractical, it would not have any legal foundation. Still, any court challenge by an individual is unlikely since the legal costs usually far exceed the value of seized objects. Import restrictions are simply not a viable solution to protecting archaeological sites. They are an idealist panacea that cause far more harm to society than any possible good. Excluding the U.S. collector and trade from the legitimate world market for Roman coins, or unilaterally forcing draconian documentation requirements on Americans, would be grossly prejudicial and would certainly be against the interests of American citizens and their traditional freedoms.
We believe as a collector you will want to oppose any expansion of the MOU with Italy to include coins. EVERY person reading this has an interest in ancient coins, even if you don't collect Greek or Roman coins, we would like you to make your view known. The entire hobby is being challenged. There is simply nothing more important to do RIGHT NOW than to take five minutes and register your concern.
The industries primary lawyer, Peter Tompa, added the following in a letter we received this weekend.
The US State Department has announced an extremely short two week time frame for commenting on the renewal of the current MOU with Italy.
If you are interested in commenting about the upcoming MOU and the possible inclusion of coins from the Greek and Roman cultures of Italy, there are two ways to do so.
First, you can fax a letter to CPAC following the directions here: http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2010/04/state-department-provides-short-notice.html
Or, second, you can take advantage of the ACCG Fax Wizard. See http://www.accg.us/issues/news/fax-wizard-is-open-for-comment-to-us-state-department and http://www.vcoins.com/fax/
If restrictions are imposed, Customs will treat any coin on the designated list as presumptively stolen from Italy. The importer can only rebut that presumption with an Italian export license or through certifications of the exporter and importer detailing provenance back to the date when the restrictions were imposed (which is often unavailable-- and even more impossible to procure as time goes on). I should also note this rule would only discriminate against American collectors. Collectors in the EU-- including in Italy itself-- do not have to make such a showing when they purchase ancient coins.
While archaeologists are rightly concerned about looting of archaeological sites, the guilty until proven innocent remedy suggested represents overkill and will only act to punish those who want to abide by the law.
If you are concerned about this as we are at CNG, you need to make your views known to CPAC before April 22.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
The Staff at CNG, Inc. >>
<< <i>Urgent Request from CNG
Dear Roman XXXXXXXX:
Once again the ancient numismatic industry is asking our supporting customers to come to the aid of the industry. This is an urgent request. Please take a few minutes to read the following and if you, like us, believe action is needed then take it upon yourself to respond in one of the ways suggested at the end.
The U.S. State Department has announced a date of May 6-7 for Cultural Property Advisory Committee hearings on the request for renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding with Italy. In practical terms, the U.S. government is about to decide whether antiquities and other forms of cultural property that Italy claims as its heritage ought to be restricted from entry into the U.S. unless accompanied by Italian export permits. There is already such an agreement in place, but ancient coins have been exempted twice before in these renewal requests that cover a 5-year window. We have very good reason to believe that Italy and members of the archaeological community will this time seek to add coins to the list of restricted items. There is a period open for public comment on the issue and the best way to comment is by fax.
Why oppose these import restrictions? Because Roman coins are at the very core of the cultural experience that we all treasure. They have circulated all over the known world in antiquity and since through trade and collector markets. It is impossible to distinguish a Roman coin found in Britain, for example, from exactly the same type, mint, etc found in Italy. Requiring an export permit from Italy on a coin found and legally exported from Britain would not only be impractical, it would not have any legal foundation. Still, any court challenge by an individual is unlikely since the legal costs usually far exceed the value of seized objects. Import restrictions are simply not a viable solution to protecting archaeological sites. They are an idealist panacea that cause far more harm to society than any possible good. Excluding the U.S. collector and trade from the legitimate world market for Roman coins, or unilaterally forcing draconian documentation requirements on Americans, would be grossly prejudicial and would certainly be against the interests of American citizens and their traditional freedoms.
We believe as a collector you will want to oppose any expansion of the MOU with Italy to include coins. EVERY person reading this has an interest in ancient coins, even if you don't collect Greek or Roman coins, we would like you to make your view known. The entire hobby is being challenged. There is simply nothing more important to do RIGHT NOW than to take five minutes and register your concern.
The industries primary lawyer, Peter Tompa, added the following in a letter we received this weekend.
The US State Department has announced an extremely short two week time frame for commenting on the renewal of the current MOU with Italy.
If you are interested in commenting about the upcoming MOU and the possible inclusion of coins from the Greek and Roman cultures of Italy, there are two ways to do so.
First, you can fax a letter to CPAC following the directions here: http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2010/04/state-department-provides-short-notice.html
Or, second, you can take advantage of the ACCG Fax Wizard. See http://www.accg.us/issues/news/fax-wizard-is-open-for-comment-to-us-state-department and http://www.vcoins.com/fax/
If restrictions are imposed, Customs will treat any coin on the designated list as presumptively stolen from Italy. The importer can only rebut that presumption with an Italian export license or through certifications of the exporter and importer detailing provenance back to the date when the restrictions were imposed (which is often unavailable-- and even more impossible to procure as time goes on). I should also note this rule would only discriminate against American collectors. Collectors in the EU-- including in Italy itself-- do not have to make such a showing when they purchase ancient coins.
While archaeologists are rightly concerned about looting of archaeological sites, the guilty until proven innocent remedy suggested represents overkill and will only act to punish those who want to abide by the law.
If you are concerned about this as we are at CNG, you need to make your views known to CPAC before April 22.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
The Staff at CNG, Inc. >>
0
Comments
As said by TwoKopeiki, it is quick and easy to do using the ACCG Fax Wizard.
- Go to the ACCG page
- Click on the picture of the Capital Building on the left.
- Follow the wizard.
DONE !!
Gary
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Ed. S.
(EJS)