Save & Share This

What is this? You can use the social bookmarking links below to annotate and save a bookmark to this article and share and discover new web sites. del.icio.us Reddit Google Newsvine Spurl.net Digg Yahoo! Stumble Facebook Slashdot

On the Web

• Free Grassroots Fax Wizard

   Imports of Roman coins to the USA are not banned - not yet.  

   But if we don't act before 22 April, if YOU don’t act now, it could happen.  Click the link at the bottom of this email and use the easy ACCG Fax Wizard to let our government know they must not ban imports of coins of Italian origin.  
   The U.S. and Italy currently have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that restricts imports of antiquities of Italian origin.  Italy claims they own this "cultural property" and it must be confiscated and returned to the Italian government.  The MOU currently does not include coins but if we remain silent coins will be added to the import restrictions when the MOU is renewed this spring.  Roman coin imports to the USA will be banned.  
   If coins are added to the MOU, "Italian" ancient coins you purchase from dealers in Germany, the UK, or even Canada might be presumed to be the property of the Italian government.  Unless you can prove your coins were exported from Italy before 1970 or you have an export permit from the Italian government, your coins could be confiscated and "returned" to Italy.  You could even be accused of purchasing "stolen property."  More likely, dealers outside the USA will simply refuse to ship to the USA.  Your favorite coin dealers in the USA will face the same restrictions.  Inventories will fall, shops will close, prices will rise, and fewer coins will be available for collectors.
   There will be no restrictions on shipping ancient coins within the EU, so this cultural patrimony claim is targeted only at Americans, who presumably steal the heritage of Italy by buying Roman and other "Italian" ancient coins.  We must tell our government that the coins of Rome and the ancient civilizations of Italy are not just the cultural heritage of Italians; they are the cultural heritage of all humanity, including Americans.  We must tell our government that we should not be denied the opportunity to buy ancient coins just because we are American.  We must tell our government that our children should not be deprived of learning the learning experience ancient coins provide just because they are American.  
   Please click the link to the ACCG Fax Wizard right now!