Saturday, October 2, 2010

Smithsonian Exhibit Confirms Cypriot MOU Discriminates Against American Coin Collectors

I had an opportunity to visit the Smithsonian Exhibit entitled, Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilization. See http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/cyprus/index.html

The exhibit is well done and thankfully avoids modern day politics. See http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2010/10/state-sets-secret-hearing-on-cyprus-mou.html

I hope to say more about it in another post, but for now let me just comment on the historical coins from ancient times to the Venetian period that were exhibited:

All were lent by the private Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation.

No provenance information was provided for the coins.

None listed a recorded find spot.

The Bank of Cyprus purchases coins on the open market from the same sources American collectors buy from.

Yet, the AIA, the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundations and Cypriot cultural bureaucracy successfully agitated for extending import restrictions to coins, claiming that unprovenanced coins should be treated as "stolen." Members of the AIA and CAARI have also argued that artifacts without a known provenance lose their value for study.

Is the MOU about protecting archaeology or giving the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation and Cypriot collectors a competitive advantage over American collectors who can no longer legally import undocumented coins?

Is there something wrong with this picture? Is this more of do what we say, not what we do?

Why does the Obama State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs countenance such discrimination against American collectors and the small businesses of the numismatic trade? And why are they also claiming that such discrimination is not subject to review by a court?

For more about the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, see
http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2009/05/coins-of-cyprus-from-collection-of-bank.html

3 comments:

Wayne G. Sayles said...

"Why does the Obama State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs countenance such discrimination against American collectors and the small businesses of the numismatic trade? And why are they also claiming that such discrimination is not subject to review by a court?"

Now there is a pithy question! I believe that DOS may claim protection under FODA, the Freedom of Discrimination Act. Of course they can't comment because it's the subject of ongoing litigation.

Paul Barford said...

Could you point out where the US Convention on Cultural property Implementation Act actually uses the words "unprovenanced" and "stolen"? Thanks.

Paul Barford

Cultural Property Observer said...

Mr. Barford- I didn't say it did, but the AIA and friends and the State Department claim that unprovenanced artifacts are likely to be "stolen," and as long as I have attended CPAC hearings they have suggested import restrictions are necessary to help get these materials off the marketplace. See "Frequently asked questions" on the AIA website at http://www.archaeological.org/sitepreservation/faqs (especially discussion of orphans and CPIA).

My recollection is that the State Department also said this explicitly on its own website, but the website was recently changed taking down such material. However, they do make this unprovenanced means likely stolen claim in their briefs in the customs test case. I don't have them in front of me, but I think this is specifically suggested in their initial motion towards the end.

Sincerely,

Peter Tompa