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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Drusus, post: 514534, member: 6370&quot;]True, this is a point that was made in a recent discussion between collectors and dealers and archeologists (a few of the more rabid ones). Colonialism was brought up as well as the deplorable practices of archeologists in the past who so often spirited away artifacts that now sit in the British museum, the Louvre and other small museums all around the world. Not to mention what might be on these archeologists shelves at home...but thats okay because they are the ones who SHOULD have these items entrusted to their care.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Someone defending these actions brought up and compared collecting with the actions of colonialism and the disregard for native cultures, how colonial masters took things at will...then he makes a statement about 100 years (like this law)...saying people should only collect coins that come from old collections...these items are no less or more looted, there just weren&#039;t laws at the time to prevent it... So since there weren&#039;t laws to keep them out of the market then its somehow okay to have a looted item....almost like they are forgiving colonialism and all that was looted during that time...something that Europeans often do...we should content ourselves with what looters could get in pre-metal detector days....and of course all the state looted items brought back by French, English, Belgium, Netherlands, etc...</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It reminds me of people who complain about immigrants, saying how THEIR relatives came into the country legally...why cant these people. They neglect to mention their relative came to the country at a time when the only qualification to get in was that you weren&#039;t dying of TB. Now there are a whole host of rules and laws to keep most people out...just like now there are people who have worked diligently to make countries pass draconian laws to keep even the smallest, low value, common Constantine coin from leaving the country...thus ANYONE selling a coin from these countries are crooks and looters, they have no legal trade...and thats how they want all countries to be....leaving collectors nothing but coins found before 1970. I am sure its begrudgingly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>From the &#039;debate&#039; between the rabid archeologist and collectors and dealers...I walked away with one overpowering impression from the archeologist and that was complete and utter disdain for collectors. It was less of a debate but a chance for them to say &#039;shame on you&#039; and to try to &#039;teach&#039; us what we are doing wrong and why its wrong. They did so in the most infuriating way as if talking to children. When anyone even suggested that they were possibly shooting themselves in their own foot with these laws, or that these laws and their own refusal to admit collectors have a right to collect, that their practice of greedily hording away all antiquities and their refusal to allow even the more common items go to market...might be a problem. Or if you point out the glaringly biased disdain (they could not help but insult collectors in their missives) and disrespect they were showing us (see coin fondlers) and point out that they were insulting all collectors with their statements...then they gave the lament of the troll...&#039;oh why must you divert from the issue by commenting on HOW I am saying things and not the REAL issue which is WHAT I am saying&#039;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>These guys did not want to debate, they just wanted to hear collectors lament the fact that we have contributed to the destruction of archeological sites and agree with them and stop collecting. When they found this wasnt going to happen...they said there was no need for further discussion because we were unable to understand what they were trying to say (in essence...unable to see how wrong we are).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Oh well...one group...probably one of the only groups looking to protect ancient coin collectors is the ACCG...if you havent looked into them, they can be found here:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.accg.us/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.accg.us/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: #800080">http://www.accg.us/</span></a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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