Archive – Cultural Property Issues
A pilot scheme between eBay and the Swiss Federal Office for Cultural Affairs
Seemingly deliberate deletion of auction sales cause a stir among eBay users
It is a well-known problem. Anyone can turn things he doesn’t want any more into cash on eBay. In the last years, eBay has revolutionized the trade between seller and buyer and abolished the intermediary. What essentially is in the interest of the private user can be abused very easily when the seller offers goods which are illegal on the official market.
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No proof of origin necessary to sell and buy coins
On September 21st, 2009, 47-year-old installer Sylvio Müller stood trial for dealing in stolen goods in 711 cases. Reason for that was his hobby that the Hessian police deemed suspicious... [ more ]
Not that one-sided
Is there a mood swing regarding the Protection of Cultural Property?
An article in the New York Times from November 16th, 2009, raises some questions
Dr Zahi Hawass as Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities seems to be feared by archaeologists – at least this is indicated by John Tierney in his article “A Case in Antiquities for Finders Keepers” published in ...
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Official Statement of the „Verband Schweizerischer Berufsnumismatiker“ concerning the meeting with representativs of the Federal Department of Culture on October 1, 2009
A group of numismatists met with representatives of the Federal Department of Culture and members of the cantonal archaeology in order to analyse the position of the coin trade and coin collecting after 5 years of Cultural Goods Transfer Law.
Following points were discussed...
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Interpol opens his database on stolen works of art
Nowadays, the computer is an indispensable aid in providing information for the broad public quickly. Especially the internet has become an important means of fighting theft of works of art. Thus far, Interpol’s stolen works of art database was accessible only to the police. Now it has been opened to all, to collectors, dealers and anyone interested. [ more ]
Manual to identify Roman coins
England’s Portable Antiquities Scheme is the most successful program on coin finds world-wide. No other country has won so many supporters to ... [ more ]
New Website of IADAA featuring Basic Arguments concerning the Cultural Property Debate
IADAA published its new website last Saturday, March 13th, 2010. It features an interesting anthology of arguments concerning cultural property issues ...
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Customs sells “Precious Cultural Property”
German customs sells coins in public sale, which could be treated as “Precious Cultural Property” by the Hessian police ... [ more ]
Coin collectors for Cologne
There is a good opportunity to demonstrate that coin collectors are willing to save cultural property. Please provide support in order to rescue precious numismatic manuscripts, which have been damaged during the collapse of the Cologne Civic Archive...
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Nefertiti will stay in Berlin
The Federal Government informs in its press release no. 180 from May 19th, 2010, about the fate of “Nefertiti”...
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Coin collecting in Hesse
The Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts has its own reading of how German laws apply. Coin collector Alexander Krombach can vouch for that who had to fight for the return of his coin collection although the action for receiving stolen goods was abandoned... [ more ]
„Close to mental confusion“ – a German court on Michael Müller-Karpe’s private crusade
Five mediocre bronze bowls, which were bought for 200 Euro by an antiquities dealer, are the most recent object of a private crusade of Michael Müller-Karpe. He refuses to deliver these objects to the real owner, although a verdict was decided. Recently, a judge found hard words about this disregard of German law... [ more ]
Controversial Bronze Vessels back at their owner
Michael Müller-Karpe returns the five ancient bronze vessels to the Hessian ministry of science and art. The administrative court had decreed their restitution... [ more ]
Does a Parliamentary Question of the FDP provide the backdrop for the unexpected return of the bronze vessels?
On July 5th, 2010, members of the FDP (Free Democratic Party) enquired about the RGZM’s refusal of the return of ancient objects. The answer was received on July 27th, the objects were returned at the beginning of August. Are these events connected?
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Coin dealer sentenced to four years in prison by Greek court
In 2007 Malcom Hay was arrested in London. Hay was accused of having stolen items he sold to a Greek dealer in ancient art in 1999 from the Greek state. Now, a sentence was passed... [ more ]
News on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Greek coins may be subject to the new Memorandum of Understanding between Greece and the US in the near future. Let US government know your point of view! [ more ]
The Krombach Case – next act
Even after two court rulings the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts still believes that in Germany it is possible to seize a coin collection without evidence... [ more ]
Coin collectors for Cologne
The book of a Cologne Münzwardein (warden of the mint) from the 15th cent will be restored with the help of coin collectors and with generous support of Künker... [ more ]
Bavarian Ministry joins the discussion about cultural property issues
The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs sent a letter to the US government in order to inform the officials about its concerns due to the planned import restrictions on Greek coins...
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20 years FENAP – 20 years in the European coin collectors’ service
FENAP, the Federation of European Numismatic Trade Associations, is in existence for 20 years now. Within this international framework, representatives of ... [ more ]
U.S. Law Enforcement Accepts Award from Anti-Collector Advocacy Group
SAFE has awarded members of U.S. law enforcement honorary awards for their efforts to stamp out the illicit trade in antiquities... [ more ]
Thefts Prompt Police to Monitor Cash-For-Gold Shops
For those, who still believe that closing down the coin shops will end dealing in coins: Here is some news on the cash for gold (and silver) business... [ more ]
Italian Cultural Property in Real Danger
Three spectacular collapses in 2010 should prompt the Italian government to action.... [ more ]
Self-appointed Cultural Property Custodians distort truth
A Bulgarian coin, a faxed letter from the Bulgarian Embassy and the vicious coin dealers, these are the components of a new story abused by self-appointed cultural property custodians... [ more ]
Italy draws the conclusions from the Cultural Property debacle
The opposition puts Cultural Secretary Sandro Bondi under pressure; the Director General of Antiquities is replaced... [ more ]
Greek Antiques in Times of Economic Crisis
What shall be done, if there is no money to preserve and exhibit cultural heritage properly. A Greek journalist is breaking a taboo... [ more ]
Zahi Hawass resigns as Egyptian Minister of Antiquities
After numerous contradictory articles and various accusations, Dr. Zahi Hawass announces his resignation as Egyptian Minister of Antiquities on his own website... [ more ]
List of items stolen from the Egyptian Museum / Cairo
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities has published a list of stolen items in the Internet... [ more ]
Zahi Hawass under fire from all sides
For years, the Minister of State for the Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, could count on the bad conscience when voicing his return requests but now he personally is under fire from all sides... [ more ]
The International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art (IADAA) condemns the looting of Egyptian antiquities and offers their help
The members of the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art (IADAA) are deeply concerned at seeing pictures of the looted rooms in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo...
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Looting at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and at other remote excavations
The Egyptian riots endanger the World’s Cultural Heritage in Egypt. Unknown persons broke into the Egyptian Museum. Right now, the situation is more than untransparent. [ more ]
What Price Provenance? Safeguarding the Antiquities of Egypt
The Department of Cultural Policy and Management at London City University is to host a round-table discussion with leading experts on the current looting of Egypt’s museums and archaeological sites. Expert opinion will be given on field archaeology in Egypt, museum management, Law, cultural policy and the ancient art trade in a unique inter-disciplinary event... [ more ]
Egyptian Roly-Poly
On January 31, 2011 Hosni Mubarak appointed Zahi Hawass as new Minister of Antiquities. On March 3 Hawass lost his office. Since March 30 he is back – despite a one-year-jail-sentence connected with forced labor. Nevertheless, Zahi Hawass still has time enough to promote his own fashion label... [ more ]
The Indian version of the cultural property debate
By governmental order the vaults of a temple in Southern India have been opened. This revealed gold coins, jewels and golden statues, which are valued by the government at approximately 22 billion (sic!) dollars... [ more ]
Final Act in the Krombach “case” – Coins Restituted
Finally his coins have been restituted to Alexander Krombach. After he had bought some coins on eBay police saved the whole collection for evidence and accused Mr Krombach of fencing. Even after the preliminary proceedings had been closed, The Hessian Ministry did not restitute the collection. Now a final verdict has been spoken... [ more ]
The Future of Recording the Past. Different laws of finds in Anglo-american World
In Dublin ABA members will meet to discuss with experts the law of finds in the United Kingdom and the United States. The panel aims on considering the benefits and disadvantages of the systems in each of these countries... [ more ]
Import Restrictions on Coins from Bulgaria to the USA?
The US State Department is seeking public comment on a new request for import restrictions made on behalf of Bulgaria. It is important for collectors to express concerns in order to guarantee that coins that have been on the market for years will stay available to the average collector... [ more ]
Treasure Stolen in Benghazi or Hollywood the Libyan Way?
Like in a Hollywood film robbers intruded in a bank in Libya and stole the “Treasure of Benghazi”: thousands of ancient coins and other objects. Months later the Libyans alerted Interpol about the catastrophe. But now doubts have arisen if things happened really this way... [ more ]
International Storage Survey on Museums Reveals Disastrous Situation
Lack of space and lack of trained staff, backlog of indexing objects and damaged buildings: The list of deficits of the museums all over the world is long as a survey recently conducted by UNESCO and the cultural association ICCROM has revealed... [ more ]
Thessaloniki fights for its cultural future
It could be the most important archaeological finding of whole northern Greece: an ancient temple of Aphrodite in Thessaloniki. Though it was partly excavated in 2000, neither the excavations go on nor concrete actions are taken to preserve the rests for future generations... [ more ]
MOU Greece
The State Department has imposed broad import restrictions on Greek Cultural Artifacts including all ancient coins struck in Greece. Here is the exact wording from the Memorandum of Understanding... [ more ]
Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Treasure to be Assessed
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) is the body which runs the affairs of the Indian temples. Now it is trying to assess the value of the famous treasure found half a year ago in the troves of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in the province of Kerala... [ more ]
Public Asked To Comment On The MOU With Cyprus
The US State Department is imposing new import restrictions of Greek antiquities. Peter K. Tompa, Ancient Coin Collectors Guild (ACCG) Board Member and Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee has published a call to comment on the hearing opened by the State Department’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC)... [ more ]
Seizure and Detention at the New York International
On January 3, 2012 law enforcement officers seized two coins from a joint sale of Classical Numismatic Group and Nomos Ltd. The coins’ owner, Dr Arnold-Peter Weiss, was detained. [ more ]
Action against Bob Hecht in Italy abandoned
Italian courts accused him of having been one of the most active dealers on the black market in ancient art. Now the trial against the 92-year-old man ended with no verdict – because the time allotted for the trial had expired. [ more ]
IADAA – Guidelines on due diligence when purchasing ancient objects
The International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art has developed guidelines how to act when buying ancient objects with all reasonable due diligence. [ more ]
True Protection of Cultural Property Is Evolving
The Turkish Board of Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets proposes to sell artifacts which never leave the archives of a museum. A commission shall be created only to the goal of valuing these objects, and the objects might be sold after the valuation. [ more ]
Public consultation – privately
The European Union is conducting a public consultation largely unknown whether the directives on the return of cultural property need restrictions. Please join absolutely in this consultation today. Today, March 5, 2012 the deadline expires. [ more ]
Temple of Aphrodite in Thessaloniki cleansed
When we reported on a citizen initiative in Thessaloniki aiming at the rescue of a Greek temple, we had not thought that we would be really of help to those people. But we were: they were officially permitted to act by themselves. How? Read it here. [ more ]
Peter Weiss condemned to write extra essay
Now has arrived the legal end of an episode which had begun at the New York International Coin Convention. Peter Weiss pleaded guilty of owning two coins he believed to have been taken out of Italy illegally after the 1909 deadline. An expert had declared the pieces in question to be forgeries. [ more ]
Greek temple buried again
In Thessaloniki an ancient Temple of Aphrodite was buried below masses of soil. On September 18, 2012 authorities unexpectedly decided to put thus an end to the civil activism that had emerged in the quarter around the building. [ more ]
Olympia Gets Treasures Back
In February the Archaeological Museum in Olympia was robbed. Now the robbers tried to sell the loot to an undercover police officer. Three suspect men were arrested, the stolen items have been seized. [ more ]
Gambling debts paid off by museum plundering
After decades a Lydian gold brooch that allegedly brought misfortune and death to its thieves is returning to Turkey. The fate of this object of art casts light on the situation in some Turkish museums. [ more ]
The Crystal Skull of Doom
A magic crystal skull, the last Indiana Jones film, and Belize’s Indy-like chief archaeologist form a rather absurd US-American lawsuit concerning cultural property issues. [ more ]
In England number of treasure findings increasing
The Department of Culture Media and Sport has published the number of treasures found in 2011 in the UK, and the objects recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Both numbers have risen compared to the previous year. [ more ]
On the re-politicisation of cultural property
In an US indemnity lawsuit against Iran lawyers are trying to seize ‘Iranian objects’ from important museums of their own country in order to sell them. That, however, would mean that in the end US citizens pay for Iran. And then, of course, the academic research. [ more ]
From small acorns … Ancient Coin Collectors on the steps of the Supreme Court
In 2007 Washington imposed draconian import restrictions on ordinary coins creating thus massive problems for coin collectors. The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild has filed a ‘test case’ and applied to the United States Supreme Court. [ more ]
Hubert Lanz receives World Money Fair Award
On February 1, 2013 Hubert Lanz received the World Money Fair Award for his numismatic merits. Rarely a single person has done more for coin collecting in Germany and Europe. Since years Hubert Lanz is fighting for the right of every European to collect coins. [ more ]
Court Refuses Sotheby’s Request to Dismiss Forfeiture Claim
A United States District Court in New York City has refused to dismiss a Government case to forfeit a Khmer Statue that was to be auctioned off by Sotheby’s Auction House. The Government seeks to return the statue to the Cambodian Government. [ more ]