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Message:: [QUOTE="Carausius, post: 3126076, member: 76440"]I hope not.  In my opinion, the UNESCO convention was not intended to protect common, multiple produced and utilitarian artifacts like coins, which were intended for trade and often traveled far beyond the country of manufacture.  Many coins were also intended for local use, and these were also produced in multiples and are very common.  I think the intent of UNESCO is being twisted and bent to the whim of archaeologists trying to (a) protect their monopoly on digging, and (b) garner favor with source countries who issue excavation permits.  Certainly, the US had a longstanding tradition of excluding coins from export controls until fairly recently. My hope is that a political solution can be reached that recognizes "orphan" coins that have been in the trade since 1970. Personally, I'd not be adverse to drawing a new line in the sand at 2018 vs 1970 - but the archaeologists would have to be reasonable in accepting a certification for coins that don't appear in printed sale catalogues before the new date.  Source countries should also be required to adopt systems like U.K.'s Portable Antiquities Scheme to encourage and reward innocent finders to report finds. Is this a pipe dream? Probably yes.[/QUOTE]