CPAC Meeting on New Agreements or Emergency Restrictions for Lebanon and Mongolia and Renewal for El Salvador

 Here is what I said more or less during today's CPAC hearing: 

Thank you for this opportunity to comment on behalf of IAPN and the micro businesses of the numismatic trade and the collectors they service.

1.   CPAC should reject any cultural property MOU or emergency import restrictions with Lebanon. US Customs should not be made the “culture cop” for a government dominated by Hezbollah, a terrorist group and proxy for Iran’s dictatorial regime.  Additionally, no decision should be made to repatriate artifacts to Lebanon when Israel and Hezbollah are gearing up for a full scale war.  Repatriated antiquities are in danger of being destroyed or sold to fund Hezbollah’s jihad against America and Israel.

2.   While the State department has claimed and I quote “Agreements create import restrictions that stop trafficked cultural property from entering the United States while encouraging the legal exchange of cultural property for scientific, cultural, and educational purposes”  that is untrue. They are actually applied far more broadly as embargoes that “claw back” common items like coins that are available for sale and export from legal markets abroad, particularly in Europe.  Once a coin type is “listed,” US Customs can assert its authority to detain, seize, and forfeit similar coins under the assumption they “belong” to the particular country for which import restrictions have been granted. 

3.   There is no factual basis for such an assumption for coins minted or found in El Salvador, Lebanon or Mongolia.  Until recently, these countries were parts of much larger Empires.  One simply cannot assume that such coins are only found there, a key requirement of the CPIA. IAPN has provided scholarly evidence demonstrating that coins struck in Lebanon circulated regionally and even internationally.  Notably, “Shekels of Tyre” that were accepted to pay the Temple tax are often found in Israel. Scholars believe some may have been made to order for King Herod or that they may even have been struck in Israel. CPAC must avoid blessing overbroad designated lists that do not comply with CPIA requirements.  Fact based decision-making must prevail.  Thank you for listening.