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07.04.2016 - Statement of Arthur L. Friedberg on the Proposed Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Hellenic Republic and the USA

Statement of Arthur L. Friedberg, Honorary President of the International Association of Professional Numismatists on the Proposed Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Hellenic Republic and the United States of America

March 31, 2016

 

Dear Professor Reid and Members of the Committee:

 

               During my past tenure as President of the International Association of Professional Numismatists I closely followed the issues the committee addressed, and do so again now as it discusses the request of the Hellenic Republic. I last appeared before this committee to speak against the imposition of import restrictions on coins of Italian origin and remain of the opinion that similar restrictions already imposed against coins of Greek origin are unworkable, overreaching, impossible to enforce, and discriminatory against American citizens.

            Although I will not be speaking before you on May 24, my comments concerning the issue at hand are consistent with what I have said previously:          

            1) Import restrictions are unnecessary given that Customs already has the authority to detain, and should detain, suspect coins whether they are smuggled, improperly declared, or in the case of coins taken from the ground, stolen. In this regard, the Committee must distinguish between import restrictions and Customs authority to detain smuggled, improperly declared or stolen coins. Customs already has ample authority to seize smuggled or improperly declared artifacts, including coins. Customs can also seize artifacts stolen from museums or other collections. Finally, courts have already blessed efforts to repatriate artifacts traced to illicit excavations in another country where that country has unequivocally declared such material to be state property. In the appropriate case, U.S. Customs can, therefore, already seize coins taken from archaeological excavations and repatriate them to Greek authorities.

            2) There are significant practical problems presented. First, by restrictions in terms of the inability of the untrained and inexperienced to differentiate a coin of supposed Greek origin from a similar looking one struck outside of Greece and second, by difficulties in defining “country of origin.” Just as with Roman and Greek coins from Italy, the State Department will impose serious compliance issues on Customs, collectors, and the small businesses of the numismatic trade that import thousands upon thousands of ancient coins from the EU each year.

            Furthermore, ancient coins typically circulated far from their country of manufacture. For example, Chinese cash coins were exported in quantity from the fifth to tenth centuries to East Africa, the Persian Gulf, India, Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaya, the Philippines, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. And, because Cyprus is located on an important trade route, coins minted in Cyprus circulated widely around the Mediterranean region and even as far away as Afghanistan. Accordingly, it is impossible to determine a coin’s find spot merely from identifying it as being made at a particular mint. It would also be false to assume the find spot of an ancient coin struck in ancient Greece would be modern Greece.  While the State Department appears to have recognized this fact at least with respect to large denomination Greek coins, the fact is most smaller denomination Greek coins (particularly those of silver and bronze created by Empires such as that of Alexander the Great) circulated too. 

            Problems of identification are numerous. Even experts may have difficulty distinguishing between ancient coin issues. Greek was lingua franca for centuries of Mediterranean civilization and was the language of inscription nearly everywhere until the advent of Rome. One needs to be a specialist to tell Chinese and Cypriot coins on the State Department’s “designated list” from others that remain unrestricted and these represent a far smaller number of coins than those recently added to the “designated lists” prepared in conjunction with the Greek, Italian and Bulgarian MOUs.

            3) Compliance costs are prohibitive, and in fact, punitive. Importers and exporters of ancient coins are either small businesses of the numismatic trade or individual collectors. Given the numbers available, the absence of pedigrees, and modest value for most coins, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for coin collectors and dealers to submit the mandated information if restrictions are put in place. Coins are typically sold without provenance information either here or abroad. Even assuming such information were retained, why would any rational European dealer sell to an American when he could avoid such red tape altogether by selling to a fellow European? And what of Customs? Have new restrictions on coins been accompanied with additional funding to allow Customs to hire the necessary experts or train its personnel? One suspects not.

            4) Litigation costs are prohibitive for most coins. Costs are such that with few exceptions, once a coin is seized the most practical decision an owner can usually make is to abandon it.

            So what will happen if the overreaching and quite frankly, illogical import restrictions requested by a small segment of the academic archaeological community are imposed? Restrictions will be unenforceable and the broader they are, the more unenforceable they will be. Collectors will still collect and dealers will still deal. Coins will still cross borders.

            What will be different is that first, much more business will be driven underground. While the Hellenic Republic has always tended ignore with a wink and a nod its endemic institutional corruption and the black aspects of its economy (estimates of the underground economy in Greece range from 30% to 50% of GDP), restrictions  only encourage some American collectors to also evade the law, as so many in Greece have done and are continuing to do with impunity. Second, some may urge US law enforcement to implement some very harsh and unpopular enforcement tactics. Yet, while a few individuals will be caught and punished, coins will still enter the United States with little difficulty.

            Much as they do now, important and expensive coins will have proper commercial invoices and new legal requirements will force legitimate dealers to try to secure the required documentation of provenance—if it is indeed available. But, as I said previously, the vast majority of coins, the unimportant and inexpensive ones, those which make up most of the volume, will move invisibly and unencumbered – in the pockets of travelers, and especially though the world’s postal services, which lack the ability, the resources and the will to do anything about it.

            In addition, there are several compelling factors specific to the Greek MOU.

 

  • The governing statute requires that restrictions only be applied on artifacts “first discovered in Greece.” But hoard evidence demonstrates that Greek coins circulated extensively outside the confines of the modern Greek nation state.

  • The governing statute requires that restrictions be consistent with the interests of the international community in cultural exchanges. But restrictions will diminish the ability of American collectors to appreciate Greek culture and could greatly limit people to people contacts with other collectors in Europe.

  • Restrictions are unfair and discriminatory to Americans. Collectors in the EU–including Greece– have no similar limitations on their ability to import ancient coins. In fact, the very coins for which restrictions are being discussed in this forum are actively and legally bought, sold and shipped in every member country of the E.U. and Switzerland, as well as the major coin collecting countries of Australia, Canada, and Japan, and Hong Kong.

  • The current restrictions are already excessively broad, broader even in at least some respects than the restrictions on Italian coins. There were hundreds of so-called Greek mints. But many of them that we would call “Greek” today, and which will be found in any ancient Greek coin catalog are actually from elsewhere – eastern Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa.

  • There has been a trend starting with the Bulgarian MOU to impose restrictions on coins even as late as the eighteenth century.  If such a move is contemplated here, the result from a numismatic perspective is that in addition to the entire Hellenic and Hellenistic coinage of the Mediterranean basin described above, this would also encompass most of the coinage of the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman Mints and Coins by Slobodan Sreckovic (Belgrade, 2002), documents over 100 Ottoman mints during the empire’s six century existence. Yet among all of these we find less than a half dozen located on Greek soil. Only an expert in Islamic coinage can differentiate most of these and to expect a Customs official to do the same is absurd.

                In sum, CPAC must contemplate the practical impact of any import restrictions on collectors, the small businesses of the numismatic trade and U.S. Customs before considering whether to extend or even expand import restrictions on coins.  American citizens have long enjoyed collecting ancient Greek coins just like their counterparts elsewhere in the world do. Unfair, unworkable and unnecessary import restrictions on ancient coins  do nothing but strangle legitimate collecting in the United States and with it the study and appreciation of ancient coinage and culture in this country, and the contribution to international understanding that goes with it.

Statement of Arthur L. Friedberg, Honorary President of the International Association of Professional Numismatists on the Proposed Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Hellenic Republic and

the United States of America

06.04.2016 - German group for the Defense of collecting rights – Groupe allemand de Défense du droit à collectionner : NEW WEBSITE – NOUVEAU SITE INTERNET

Please be informed of this new informative website, publishing news about rules regarding the situation of Cultural Goods, especially in Germany.

Veuillez noter ce nouveau site d’information qui publie les nouvelles concernant la situation des Biens Culturels, spécialement en Allemagne.

 

www.kulturgutschutz.info

09.03.2016 - our French Colleague Gérard BARRE has passed away – décès de notre Collègue français Gérard BARRE

 

Our French Colleague Gérard BARRE has passed away last night, March 8th, after a long disease.
 
Gérard had became, after a long membership within the IAPN, a corresponding member of the Association when he had left Maison Platt of Paris some years ago.
 
He had been one of the organizers of the 56th General Assembly of the IAPN in Deauville  in June 2007.
 
Our best thoughts are with his wife Jocelyne, his daughters and colleagues Sandrine and Anne-Claire, and his son Sylvain.
 
 
 
Notre Collègue français Gérard BARRE, est décédé la nuit dernière, 8 mars, après une longue maladie.
 
Gérard, après avoir longtemps été un membre titulaire de l’AINP, en était devenu membre correspondant il y a quelques années, lorsqu’il a quitté la Maison Platt de Paris.

Il avait été l’un des organisateurs de la 56è Assemblée Générale de l’AINP à Deauville en juin 2007.

Nos pensées vont vers son épouse Jocelyne, ses filles et collègues Sandrine et Anne-Claire, et son fils Sylvain.

 

22.01.2016 - The International Numismatic Council and the International Association of Professional Numismatists launch a job portal at MuenzenWoche / CoinsWeekly

The International Numismatic Council and the International Association of Professional Numismatists launch a job portal at MuenzenWoche / CoinsWeekly

To help young numismatists find a job, the International Numismatic Council (INC) and the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) decided to launch a platform where vacancies and applications can be published. As publication channel they chose the internet journal MuenzenWoche / CoinsWeekly. By way of its weekly newsletter, it aims at building a bridge between university and the numismatic market. The IAPN has agreed to sponsor the new platform.

The idea was born at a round table which was held at the International Numismatic Congress in Taormina initiated by former INC President Carmen Arnold-Biucchi and Arne Kirsch, President of the IAPN. On September 23, 2015, some 200 researchers exchanged views on “Jobs, careers, professions for the young generation of coin enthusiasts”. One problem identified was the fact that some job offers do not reach the right address. So although there are numismatists looking for a job, coin companies do not find the fitting employee. Ursula Kampmann offered to create a job portal to boost the awareness of offers and requests. This requires an easily accessible, constantly updated, internationally popular platform which is visited by scholars, collectors and coin dealers alike. On behalf of his organization, IAPN President Arne Kirsch spontaneously declared to bear the costs involved in establishing this platform, while MuenzenWoche / CoinsWeekly would be in charge of the content-related management. This way, it was possible to announce the foundation of a new job portal already during the closing ceremony of the International Numismatic Congress.

Since November 5, 2015, the job portal is online. Anybody who would like to place either a job advertisement or a job application is kindly asked to submit his or her text via email at [email protected] The text can be written in any language. Indeed, each company, each institution should address its potential employees in the preferred language, the one that is spoken in everyday work. Naturally, you may also place offers and requests with box numbers. MuenzenWoche / CoinsWeekly will serve as a facilitator in this regard.

The International Numismatic Council and the International Association of Professional Numismatists hope that the new platform will be met with maximum international response and help as many young numismatists as possible find a position. At the same time, they ask for support of the platform by forwarding job advertisements.

 Please find the job portal under www.coinsweekly.com/en/page/39

22.01.2016 - Der Internationale Numismatische Rat und die International Association of Professional Numismatists begründen eine Jobbörse in der MünzenWoche

Der Internationale Numismatische Rat und die International Association of Professional Numismatists begründen eine Jobbörse in der MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly

 Um es jungen Numismatikern leichter zu machen, eine Stelle zu finden, haben sich der Internationale Numismatische Rat (INR) und die International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) dazu entschlossen, eine Plattform einzurichten, auf der Stellenangebote und Stellengesuche veröffentlicht werden können. Als Publikationsweg wählten sie die Internet-Zeitschrift MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly. Sie will mit ihrem wöchentlich aktuellen Newsletter die Brücke zwischen Universitäten, Museen und freier Wirtschaft herstellen. Die IAPN übernimmt die Kosten für die neue Plattform.

Die Idee wurde während eines Round Tables im Rahmen des Internationalen Numismatischen Kongresses in Taormina geboren, der von der damaligen INR-Präsidenten Carmen Arnold-Biucchi initiiert wurde. Am 23. September 2015 diskutierten rund 200 Wissenschaftler über „Jobs, Careers, Professions for the young Generation of Coin Enthusiasts“. Als ein Problem wurde benannt, dass es auf der einen Seite spezialisierte Numismatiker gäbe, auf der anderen Seite Stellenausschreibungen nicht immer alle geeigneten Adressaten erreichen. Ursula Kampmann bot an, eine zentrale Jobbörse zu schaffen, um die Bekanntheit von Angeboten und Gesuchen zu steigern. Man brauche dafür eine leicht zugängliche, ständig aktualisierte, international verbreitete Plattform, die von Wissenschaftlern und Münzhändlern gleichermaßen frequentiert wird. Arne Kirsch, Präsident der IAPN, erklärte sich im Namen seiner Organisation spontan bereit, die Kosten für die Plattform zu übernehmen, die inhaltliche Betreuung erfolgt durch die MünzenWoche / Coins Weekly.  So konnte bereits während der Abschlusszeremonie des Internationalen Numismatischen Kongresses die Gründung einer Jobbörse bekannt gegeben werden.

Seit dem 5. November 2015 ist die Jobbörse online. Wer ein Stellenangebot oder ein Stellengesuch veröffentlichen möchte, wird gebeten, seinen Text an die E-Mail-Adresse [email protected] zu schicken. Der Text ist dabei auf keine Sprache beschränkt. Im Gegenteil, jede Firma, jede Institution soll ihre potentiellen MitarbeiterInnen in der Sprache anreden, die im Arbeitsalltag bevorzugt gesprochen wird. Selbstverständlich sind Angebote und Gesuche mit Chiffrenummern möglich. Die MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly dient hier als Vermittler.

Der Internationale Numismatische Rat und die International Association of Professional Numismatists hoffen, dass die neue Plattform eine möglichst internationale Verbreitung findet und vielen jungen Numismatikern bei ihrer Suche nach einer Arbeitsstelle hilft. Sie rufen gleichzeitig auf, die Plattform durch die Weiterleitung von Stellenausschreibungen zu unterstützen.

 Die Jobbörse ist zu finden unter

Der Internationale Numismatische Rat und die International Association of Professional Numismatists begründen eine Jobbörse in der MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly

Um es jungen Numismatikern leichter zu machen, eine Stelle zu finden, haben sich der Internationale Numismatische Rat (INR) und die International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) dazu entschlossen, eine Plattform einzurichten, auf der Stellenangebote und Stellengesuche veröffentlicht werden können. Als Publikationsweg wählten sie die Internet-Zeitschrift MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly. Sie will mit ihrem wöchentlich aktuellen Newsletter die Brücke zwischen Universitäten, Museen und freier Wirtschaft herstellen. Die IAPN übernimmt die Kosten für die neue Plattform.

Die Idee wurde während eines Round Tables im Rahmen des Internationalen Numismatischen Kongresses in Taormina geboren, der von der damaligen INR-Präsidenten Carmen Arnold-Biucchi initiiert wurde. Am 23. September 2015 diskutierten rund 200 Wissenschaftler über „Jobs, Careers, Professions for the young Generation of Coin Enthusiasts“. Als ein Problem wurde benannt, dass es auf der einen Seite spezialisierte Numismatiker gäbe, auf der anderen Seite Stellenausschreibungen nicht immer alle geeigneten Adressaten erreichen. Ursula Kampmann bot an, eine zentrale Jobbörse zu schaffen, um die Bekanntheit von Angeboten und Gesuchen zu steigern. Man brauche dafür eine leicht zugängliche, ständig aktualisierte, international verbreitete Plattform, die von Wissenschaftlern und Münzhändlern gleichermaßen frequentiert wird. Arne Kirsch, Präsident der IAPN, erklärte sich im Namen seiner Organisation spontan bereit, die Kosten für die Plattform zu übernehmen, die inhaltliche Betreuung erfolgt durch die MünzenWoche / Coins Weekly.  So konnte bereits während der Abschlusszeremonie des Internationalen Numismatischen Kongresses die Gründung einer Jobbörse bekannt gegeben werden.

Seit dem 5. November 2015 ist die Jobbörse online. Wer ein Stellenangebot oder ein Stellengesuch veröffentlichen möchte, wird gebeten, seinen Text an die E-Mail-Adresse [email protected] zu schicken. Der Text ist dabei auf keine Sprache beschränkt. Im Gegenteil, jede Firma, jede Institution soll ihre potentiellen MitarbeiterInnen in der Sprache anreden, die im Arbeitsalltag bevorzugt gesprochen wird. Selbstverständlich sind Angebote und Gesuche mit Chiffrenummern möglich. Die MünzenWoche / CoinsWeekly dient hier als Vermittler.

Der Internationale Numismatische Rat und die International Association of Professional Numismatists hoffen, dass die neue Plattform eine möglichst internationale Verbreitung findet und vielen jungen Numismatikern bei ihrer Suche nach einer Arbeitsstelle hilft. Sie rufen gleichzeitig auf, die Plattform durch die Weiterleitung von Stellenausschreibungen zu unterstützen.

Die Jobbörse ist zu finden unter www.muenzenwoche.de/de/page/39

22.12.2015 - Death of our member / Décès de notre membre : Tom CEDERLIND (15.12.2015)

We have to report the sad and shocking news that our member (since 2008) Tom CEDERLIND passed away on Tuesday December 15th, 2015.

Je dois vous informer avec tristesse et incompréhension de la mort de notre membre (depuis 2008) Tom CEDERLIND, le mardi 15 décembre 2015.

———————————————–

TOM CEDERLIND

It is with regret that we announce the death of Thomas Bentley Cederlind. He passed away on Dec. 16, 2015, in Portland. He has been in business for 25 years. The youngest of four brothers, Tom’s passing was a major and unexpected loss. His surviving family includes his son, Leif Spenser Broncova Cederlind; and brothers, Jim and Gary. We will miss seeing Tom in auctions and shows around the world. He is in our prayers and remains in our hearts.

 

21.12.2015 - Death of Dieter RAAB – Décès de Dieter RAAB (20.12.2015)

Dear Colleagues,

We have the sad duty of informing you of the passing of Dieter Raab, former CEO of Busso PEUS Nachf., and father of our colleague Christoph Raab, to whom our best thoughts go Under those difficult circumstances.

Chers Collègues,

Nous sommes le triste devoir de vous informer du décès de Dieter Raab, ex-directeur de Busso PEUS Nachf., et père de notre collègue Christoph Raab, à qui nous présentons nos meilleurs vœux de courage dans cette épreuve douloureuse.

 ———————————————–

DIETER RAAB (1938-2015)

Dieter Raab was born on December 11, 1938 in Steinhöring, a small town in Bavaria. In his youth the family moved to Stuttgart, where his father opened the first Jazz Club in Germany that had prominent Jazz artists as performers. During his school years he began collecting coins. After finishing his “Gymnasium” he began to study business administration. However, a summer job that had been arranged for him by the well-known numismatist Karl Jaeger, changed his life. He began to work for Münzen & Medaillen AG in Basel, at the time the most famous numismatic auction house world-wide. In 1966 he took the opportunity to purchase the old firm of Dr. Busso Peus (formerly Hess Nachf.) in Frankfurt and, in the beginning with Peter Schulten, made it one of the top numismatic auction houses of Europe. Following the catalogue numeration of Adolph Hess, beginning with no. 1 in 1871, Raab’s first catalogue in 1967 was numbered 266. Today Dr. Busso Peus Nach. Had its 415th sale in 2015. It is, in effect, Germany’s oldest numismatic auction house. Unforgotten is that the German government entrusted him with the sale of the coin stocks of the former German Democratic Republic after the reunification. And then with the sale of the huge stock of non-valeur shares, bonds, and stocks that were also kept by the East German government.

Raab was the German coin dealer’s delegate to the Numismatic Commission of the States of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1972 to 2006. Here he was able to form a strong bond between German museums and the German coin trade that had lasting effects. In 2007 he turned over the business to his son Christoph but still had an office in the firm, where he helped when he could and received old clients who wished to do business with him. In the last years of his life he had continual health problems, but never lost his positive outlook on life. Finally, even though he had received a clean bill of health, his heart no longer bore the strain and he died on December 20, 2015 peacefully in his sleep at home.

Dieter Raab is survived by his wife Lilo, his sons Stephan and Christoph and three grandsons to whom we extend our deepest sympathy.

L. N.-L.

22.10.2015 - New address for Numismatica Globus (Venezuela)

Dear Coilleagues / Chers collègues.

Please be informed of the change of adderss of our Venezuelan member, :
Veuillez prendre note de la nouvelle adresse de notre membre vénézuelien :

NUMISMATICA GLOBUS 
Apartado de Correos 50.418 Caracas 1050-A VENEZUELA 0058 212 952.2243 952.1065 953.5821 By appointment only


Thanks and best regards / Merci et meilleures salutations.

22.10.2015 - New address for the Californian office of Stack’s Bowers (Ponterio & Associates)

Dear Colleagues / Chers collègues.

Please be informed of the change of address of our Californian member:
Veuillez prendre note de la nouvelle adresse de notre membre californien :
 
 
PONTERIO & ASSOCIATES
1231 East Dyer Road, Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92705
 
Thank you, Merci

23.09.2015 - INC-IAPN Round Table: XV International Numismatic Congress Taormina, 21-25 September 2015

XV International Numismatic Congress Taormina, 21-25 September 2015


Round Tables – Final Programme

Numismatics in the 21st century:
Jobs, careers, professions for the young generation of coin enthusiasts


Wednesday, 23rd Sept., 11:00 am-1:00 pm
(dedicated to the memory of Herbert A. Cahn on the centenary of his birth)

Programme as pdf