Import Restrictions Again - Italy & Sicily

Greetings all,

I urge you to take the time to go to the ACCG website if you haven't already and send in your fax using the ACCG's *FREE* fax wizard to the U.S. State Dept, urging them to not restrict the importation of Greek and Roman coins. You can do it here:

http://www.vcoins.com/fax/

As some of you may know, I am active in the Republican Party of Wisconsin and several years back, fought to pass a party resolution upholding collectors rights. What was unique about this resolution (from a Republican activist's point of view) was normally office holders will not take a stand on newly proposed resolutions coming before the floor but congressmen Paul Ryan, Tom Petri and Mark Green supported it (it is mentioned briefly on Petri's website) and it passed by a voice vote of about 75% of the delegates present.

Sample letters and talking points can be found here:

http://www.vcoins.com/fax/sampleletters.asp

http://www.vcoins.com/fax/talkingpoints.asp

So you don't have to be an expert coin collector to write a letter, nor be a good letter writer. Just sign up at the Fax Wizard, go through the steps, and the hit the buttons and PRESTO! You will have sent a letter to the State Department asking them to not restrict the importation of Greek and Roman coins for U.S. ancient coin hobbyists.

I just ask that you keep your language logical, polite and respectful. You are writing to a career diplomat, not your congressman. We want to win over, not offend these people. Let's keep this great educational hobby legal and free of government intrusion!

After you use the Fax Wizard you may give a donation if you want, but YOU DO NOT HAVE TO! Also, if you wish to own your own ancient coin you can of course contact me :-) or you can go to the Vcoins ancient coin mall and buy a coin from a Vcoins dealer, they are among those who support the FREE Fax Wizard.

If you wish to study the issue more on your own I suggest going to the ACCG website here:

http://www.accg.us/

Remember it is .us, not .com.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

COLLECTORS RIGHTS RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, we believe that the U.S. Constitution, not the United Nations should be, where appropriate, the guide for the regulation of business and trade;

WHEREAS, we also believe that a government that wishes to regulate the collecting hobbies of private citizens on behalf of foreign powers, especially if it involves the seizure or reclamation of property purchased in good faith has overstepped both the spirit and letter of the 4th, 5th and 11th Amendments of the Constitution;

RECOGNIZING that the numismatic trade provides many fine families with their means of income, and also creates numerous jobs in support industries, key to states such as Wisconsin where companies publish books, manufacture coin and stamp holders, binders, software and other supplies that support the collectibles hobby;

WHEREAS, we believe that import restrictions and cultural property laws may have the unintended consequences of driving hundreds of family businesses into ruin and also criminalize the hobbies and educational activities of numerous law abiding citizens;

WHEREAS, we support reasonable efforts to protect archaeological sites and public and private collections, we oppose the claims of those who say: (a) Anything “old” should be considered state property; (b) Anything without a detailed ownership history should be deemed stolen; and (c) Only foreign states and their favored academics should have the right to preserve, protect and study the past.

THEREFORE we reject recent efforts to restrict the collecting of art, books, coins, pottery, stamps, weapons and other common antique collectibles over 100 years old;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Wisconsin, in convention assembled, asks lawmakers to oppose any import restrictions or other constraints on the collecting of art, books, coins, militaria, pottery, stamps, weapons and other common antique collectibles as a waste of valuable government resources.

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Wisconsin, in convention assembled, asks lawmakers to pass a bill exempting art, books, coins, militaria, pottery, stamps, weapons and other common antique collectibles for consideration from future import restriction and cultural property laws and treaties.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Other Relevant Links

Ancient Coin Collecting (blog by Numismatic Author Wayne Sayles)
http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

P.S. - be sure to read Wayne's entry Guarding America?

Cultural Property Observer (blog by Lawyer Peter Tompa, a Cultural Artifact Atty.)
http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins (blog by Coin Dealer Dave Welsh)
http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

TTFN,

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

My Coin Groups

Ancient & Medieval Coins
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ancientandmedievalcoins

World Coin Collecting
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorldCoinCollectingMod

Indian Coins and Banknotes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianCoinsandBanknotes

Fake Alert! China Does It Again!

Here is a terrific article that just came to my attention by Susan Headly:

Inside a Chinese Coin Counterfeiting Ring

Photos of Counterfeit Coin Dies, Minting Machinery, and Fake Coins

The frightening thing is the photos indicate to me the quality has dramatically improved over the laughable fakes they were turning out 1 and 2 years ago which had a very pewter-like appearance that would only fool newbie collectors. Before they were selling them all raw but now they are even selling slabbed fakes with PCGS and NGC holders. Pretty scary stuff.

TTFN,

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA, ANS, ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

***25 Widows Mites - Dealer Lot***
http://www.ancientpeddler.com/auction/item.php?id=73

FA / FS: BUY OR BID - ANCIENT & WORLD COINS ON EBAY

Greetings,

I have not been posting much lately due to a sore shoulder (rotator cuff) but I have these ending over the weekend:

PMN - 1875 NORWAY 5 ORE - ***THE KEY DATE*** - VF+
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357029450

PMN - TYRE PHOENICIA SHEKEL FRACTION/OBOL BIBLICAL
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357029872

PMN - 1918 GEORGE V PENNY - BETTER GRADE - BUY OR BID
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357030270

PMN - NICELY CENTERED WIDOW'S MITE - HENDIN 469
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357030927

PMN - 1925 AUSTRIA SCHILLING AU - 99¢ BUY OR BID NO RSV
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357031268

PMN - ELAGABALUS - NIKOPOLIS MOESIA INFERIOR - GRAPES
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357031905

PMN - 1964-G FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ***KEY DATE***
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357032230

PMN - MANUEL I - BILLON TRACHY - BETTER EXAMPLE
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320357032260

PMN - PHILIP I - ADVENTVS AVG - SHARP - FROSTY - EF+
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320319363775

PMN - GETA AS CAESAR - AR DENARIUS - PONTIF COS II - EF
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320286633959

PMN - BU/UNC - 1936 - BRITAIN - 3 PENCE - GEORGE V
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320285441949

Thanks for looking!

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA, ANS, ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

Statism & Cultural Property Nationalism

Greetings,

Before I go any further, I want to thank my friends and colleagues Wayne Sayles, Dave Welsh and Peter Tompa for always sticking up for me and encouraging me - even when it ticks off the 'powers that be'. Every so often my name gets dragged through the mud by the CPN crowd and I am not always around to defend my good name or to clarify what I said.

This article is in reply to an leading statement made by Nathan Elkins about 2 weeks back on his blog. Name calling has become a standard problem in the discussions (better described as arguments) that take place between private collectors and a certain brand of archaeologists. I grew tired of the banter, particularly from a certain Brit residing in Poland (who shall remain nameless) who has no interest in dialogue, just setting up straw men and tossing about red herrings. I have better things to do.

But I usually had better luck with Nathan Elkins. Well, Nathan recently took something I said which was very philosophical and turned it into something else:

"It was not my purpose to “name names,” but if you insist I was thinking particularly of some of the uninformed and alarmist statements made by Mr. Welsh (Chair of the ACCG’s International Affairs Committee), who is listed among the ACCG’s top officers on its webpage and who recently won an award from the group for his valued contributions and voice supporting “collectors rights.” I also note that on his blog, Mr. McGarigle, another dealer who has been honored by the ACCG for advancing “collectors rights” in Wisconsin, seems to be comparing the current situation in Germany with the fascism of the 1930’s and 1940’s and Nazism. That seems a bit over the top and alarmist to me. On the discussion lists, many collectors and ACCG members themselves have been very panicked by the events in Germany and have made some very outlandish and alarmist statements. In my view, it seems telling that rather than rationalizing the dialogue, certain individuals associated with the ACCG seem to be stoking it. In the midst of the current state of the alarmist discussions, you only made a plug for ACCG membership on the Unidroit list. If the ACCG has in its leadership people who are engaging in alarmism and has honored valued members who are now doing likewise, I would hope the organization would kindly rein them in if they are in fact misrepresenting the position, goals, or values of the ACCG." emphasis mine

Here is what I said,

"I'm not shocked or surprised to see this happening with China which is a communist (and therefore statist and totalitarian regime) government do this, for their government it is par for the course. Nor am I shocked that it is happening in Germany because they have flirted with fascism and gone back and forth with mild forms of socialism over the years. But it is still disturbing nonetheless because of the precedent it sets for other governments to follow, they can point to Germany now and say, "they do it, why not us?"

There was more but the point is I did not use the words 'Nazi' or 'National Socialism' and what I said was said in passing and philosophically - and it was a statement of fact. What Nathan probably fails to understand is that here in America we have high standards of personal liberty. To the average American, a government that would actually come into a person's home and confiscate something like a coin collection sounds like something out of a George Orwell novel or a kooky conspiracy theory, to some of his archaeological colleagues it sounds like a rational remedy to private collecting.

Not to beat a dead horse, but one of America's legal norms, the right to privacy in one's person and property and from the police is part and parcel of our constitution and the 3rd article was born out of American colonists disdain for the way British soldiers behaved during the Revolutionary War. Experiences like that have given Americans a perspective that there are some things a government just should not do.

Germany has had fascist and socialist governments. That is simply a fact. Fascism and Socialism are forms of Statism. In America citizens have Rights and Liberty but government is limited. In much of Europe the converse is true.

My post which made a passing reference to Germany's unfortunate history did not use the words 'Nazi' or 'National Socialism' or any other inflammatory terms. Nathan hypocritically called for reason and civility then placed words in my mouth that were never spoken and called me an alarmist. What a crock. I used to think Nathan was a cut above the likes of his colleague in Poland but now I consider them both at an impasse for serious discussion.

Elkins has clearly decided his meal ticket is in being a cultural property crusader and has abandoned rational discourse for partisan spin.

And this is why I have put these jerks on *Ignore*

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA ANS ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

German Collections are Being Confiscated. (Posted At UNIDROIT-L)

Greetings,

These troublesome articles were posted recently on UNIDROIT-L:

- - - - - - - - - - - -

German Collections are Being Confiscated.
[email deleted for privacy]
Sorry, I can't translate the whole articles

http://www.fr-online.de/frankfurt_und_hessen/nachrichten/frankfurt/1655596_Kein-Raeuber-aber-ein-Kaempfer.html

http://www.mz-web.de/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=ksta/page&atype=ksArtikel&aid=1229852966388&openMenu=1012902958733&calledPageId=0

The German Numismatic Association is trying to stem the tide somewhat.
http://www.numismatische-gesellschaft.de/

I have translated part of their statement. It's not a pretty sight if
this is the solution to cultural property theft.

[name deleted for privacy]

Private collections have formed the seed from which a majority of museum collections have grown. Time after time, private collecting has provided important information and new discoveries for scholarly numismatics.

This is why recent events have filled us with worry. Collecting, especially of medieval and ancient coins, has been accused as a criminal act; under the unjustifiable accusation that collecting is the result and cause of the illegal looting of archaeological sites around the world. The police conduct searches of homes, collections are confiscated, collectors are charged with smuggling. There is talk of a reduced legal rights for collectors.

We cannot and will not allow coin collecting and dealing to become criminalized and therefore make the following clarification.

1. Collecting of ancient and medieval coins is not criminal. Documented provenance for every coin is not necessary. Still, we urge collectors to document their collections more than before even if they were acquired at coins shows or other venues.

2. We support the protection of archaeological sites and historically significant coin finds. We understand coin hoards can have more worth than simply their financial worth.

3. We oppose any theft of protected cultural property, demand in return, that collectors ,who buy coins over the Internet or elsewhere, in good faith with without intent to acquire stolen cultural property, are not charged with accepting stolen property. Confiscations of complete collections must be stopped. We oppose the behavior of the police in performing home searches and confiscation entire collections.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

COMMENTARY:

It is disturbing to see this development although not unexpected. Runaway government intrusion into the lives of innocent people over innocent activities is nothing new. Frederick Bastiat, a French economist and political philosopher wrote about 'legal plunder' back in 1850 when he published a powerful little pamphlet titled simply The Law which he wrote following the French Revolution of 1848.

Whether you are a 'civil liberties' liberal or an 'anti-big-government' conservative, somewhere in the middle or totally apolitical, the *one thing* coin collectors need to stand united against is any intrusion by government to meddle in something that isn't worthy of government involvement. Coin collecting is certainly one of those things. When the government get's involved in harmless, innocent pastimes like people's hobbies - where does the government stop?

I'm not shocked or surprised to see this happening with China which is a communist (and therefore statist and totalitarian regime) government do this, for their government it is par for the course. Nor am I shocked that it is happening in Germany because they have flirted with fascism and gone back and forth with mild forms of socialism over the years. But it is still disturbing nonetheless because of the precedent it sets for other governments to follow, they can point to Germany now and say, "they do it, why not us?"

This is where the rubber hits the road for collectors. Do I want the government to suddenly be involved with and regulating my hobby at every turn or worse, do I want my hobby to turn into a criminal activity overnight?

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA, ANS, ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

My Coin Blog
http://awcoingeek.blogspot.com/

What I got for Christmas

Here is what I got for Christmas:




INDO-SCYTHIAN, AZES II Silver tetradrachm, Zeus right type. CHOICE!

Obverse: King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter de at right, Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY.

Reverse: Zeus standing right, holding right hand outstretched, holding sceptre in left, monogram at left, Kharoshthi letter si right, Kharoshthi legend around: Maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / Ayasa.

Date: c. 1st century BCE

Weight: 9.73 gm.

Diameter: 24 mm.

Die axis: 2 o'clock

Reference: MIG 828, Sen 99.67T

Comments: Mitchiner identifies the deity on the reverse as Poseidon, perhaps on the strength of the trident-like sceptre, but Senior identifies the figure as Zeus. A CHOICE coin!

A Note on the tetradrachms of Azes II: Azes II issued a wide array of tetradrachms that can be bewildering even to advanced collectors. The obverse is typically the so-called "KMW" or King mounted with whip. The reverses feature different deities: sometimes Zeus, sometimes Pallas Athena, sometimes a city goddess, and a given deity can be in different poses. The next criteria for differentiation is the monograms and/or letters on the reverse. Finally, there are distinguishing Kharoshthi letters on the obverse in front of the horse.

Description by seller CoinIndia.

I had one of these already but I wanted to upgrade when I saw this one on Vcoins and so I emailed the link to my wife who was kind enough to get it for me. In hand it looks nearly Mint-state, EF++ as my old dealer pal Mike Marx would say.


S-W-E-E-T!

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA, ANS, ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

My Coin Blog
http://awcoingeek.blogspot.com/

Holiday Hiatus Over!

Greetings,

The holidays are over (nearly over, my B-day is Wednesday the 21st) and so I have decide it was time I got back to work. I have auctions posted on eBay and I am back to blogging on all things concerning ancient and world coins.

There is a fairly new Yahoo group devoted to Biblical coinage (the other one is functionally a dead group) started by my friend Jerry who has several other groups on Yahoo.

As I sit here watching a rented DVD of The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor



it seems only appropriate that I mention the Pobjoy Mint on behalf of the Isle of Man is releasing a new Silver and Gold coin set commemorating the coming of the Terracotta Army to the British Museum (in London, I didn't know London was on the Isle of Man ;-)) They are the first coins that the Pobjoy Mint has made with a hole through the centre. The coins are part of an ongoing 'History of Man' series which started with the Tutankhamun collection (didn't know the Tut exhibit was on the Isle of Man either!).



More info here.

Thats all for now,

Jim McGarigle
Polymath Numismatics
ANA, ANS, ACCG

My Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Polymath-Numismatics-and-Etcetera

My Myspace Page
http://www.myspace.com/numismatistguy

My eBay 'ME' Page
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/polymath_numismatics

My Coin Blog
http://awcoingeek.blogspot.com/