So it's absolutely illegal to import ancient Roman coins into USA?

Lol! But how do you really feel about Tag Heuer?

 

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I agree wholeheartedly. And I can't bear the thought of taking a such delicate piece of precision craftsmanship and slinging it around on my arm, where it's likely to get banged, scraped, splashed with liquid... you know. Put it on a display table, under a stereomicroscope so you can truly appreciate its beauty.

If you want to know what time it is, consult your $100 slab that determines it with microsecond accuracy from a constellation of super-high-precision atomic clocks in the sky. And lets you look up the answer to any other question known to man as well.

 

Join ACCG. Wayne Sayles and others involved in the organization have worked tirelessly on behalf of the entire numismatic community. The State Department is married to the archaeology "industry" and has never given ACCG and the collector community a level playing field to participate in.

If you are an archaeologist you can't practice your trade without the approval of that community. We as collectors aren't worthy to handle such treasures in spite of the fact that what we know about many Roman emperors as well as so many other lesser know civilizations was as a result of the numismatic community.

 

he really wants sumbody to get him one

 

Done. I hope they'll agree to apply my donation from the other day towards my membership. Thanks!

 

Your posting is quite ridiculous. It presupposes areas of ambiguity in regulations that don't exist. Specific US Customs regulations, kicked off by MOU's with some foreign governments, specifically identify cultural property originating in certain nations that can only be exported into the US if certain defined conditions are met. Coins are specifically cited as cultural property that is restricted, so the statement that it is "clearly not illegal" to import these items originates in ignorance. It may well be the case that some coins (or many coins) have slipped through the net and have been received by collectors, but let's not pretend that this is due to some vagueness or ambiguity in the regulations. Also, to rely on foreign dealers to interpret or abide by US Customs regulations is a foolish enterprise. Finally, although it appears unlikely at present, don't dismiss the possibility that in the future - for example, when you go to sell - you may have to PROVE that a restricted coin was legally imported into the US, especially if it is a big ticket item.

 

There already is NGC for coins. What we now need is WGC (Watch Guarantee Corporation) for watches. Grade and slab them--that's the trick! A great watch is a type of history that needs preservation and slabs would do that well.

 

Welcome to CT. You are responding to a thread from 2017. The member @IdesOfMarch01 is still with us and might want to respond. (the @ sends him a notice)

 

Maybe I am just sensitive to the times, but I am SICK of the word ethically being tossed around so carely of late.

 

I find blanket prohibitions on coin movements based over such a broad classification as all but useless and counterproductive. Instead, that they need is serious regulation and pegree tracking for all coins, worth say, over $50, where the pedigree is recorded in an international database, with certificates. Coins could then be moved and governments can ideintify artifacts of real national cultural imports. Other artifacts can use this as well, but there have been greater efforts for pedigree identification of Rembrandts than coins.

One other thing, sort of bothers me. Italy needs to come to terms with the fact that it was not a country in 211BC. It more or less came into being March 17, 1861. And nobody cares if a beat up common Republic Ancient coin is dropped into Trevi Fountain or shipped to a collector in SIlican Valley.

 

Welcome to Cointalk @jules clay! As was already mentioned, this is a three year old thread. But I am EXTREMLY curious - what brought you to this thread? You must have been searching since it wouldn’t be near the front page - so what are you trying to find?

no need to answer if you don’t want - I’ve just been curious as to what leads to old threads getting resurrected.

 

Let me preface my post by noting that this thread is close to four years old and, inasmuch as I'm not an attorney with expertise in import/export of antiquities, I haven't kept up with such laws and presupposing that my observations from 2017 are equally applicable in 2021 is (in your own words) quite ridiculous.

If your goal is a more general discussion of current import restrictions that affect bringing coins into the U.S., it would be helpful if you would cite some specific laws that are currently in force, and point out the specific coins (e.g., Roman gold, Greek silver, etc.) affected by those laws. I'm fairly certain that such information would be of general interest here, both to those collectors who win coins at foreign auctions, as well as those purchasing coins from dealers outside the U.S.

In the absence of specific legal citations and definitions (including time frames in which those laws apply), it seems to me that generalities about MOUs, U.S. Customs regulations, definitions of "cultural properties," "certain nations," etc., will be more confusing than helpful for anyone here hoping to learn more about the intricacies of importing ancient coins into the U.S.

I will note that since the time I posted my observation in this thread I have continued to bid on, and win, coins in foreign auctions and have had no issues receiving them here in the U.S. Both the dealer with whom I work, as well as the auction houses from whom I've purchased these coins, are of the highest integrity and thus I'm fully confident that the coins I have purchased can indeed be legally imported into the U.S.

 

There are zero restrictions on importing coins dated after 212 BC into USA. You don't even need to declare them.

Coins dated before 212 BC can also generally be imported without any issue into USA. You just need a declaration from seller that they've been outside Italy since before 2011.

90% of what's been said on this thread is complete bolloxx

 

Remember, some of these so called "laws" are insanity at its best. The "pencil pushers" love when they can control everything we do, 1984 all over. Makes one think we are in the Communist Bloc
Just have stuff sent incognito and keep on collecting.

 

Looolllzzz - i missed this post almost 4 years ago. Glad to see it now. LOollzz. Hope you are all well down there, Sallent! :-D

Edited: reading the entire thread, I see I DID read your post before and found it amusing then, as well. Glad to have had the chance to read it again!