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.

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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.

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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