The U.S. State Department in its infinite wisdom chose in 2007 to override the recommendation of its own advisory committee and to impose import restrictions on coins from Cyprus. And what has been gained? Certainly not the salvation of cultural heritage in Cyprus, where even the country's head archaeologist rails against the inept system. That State Department decision led to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit that has been ongoing for four years now. It prompted a court challenge of the implementing Memorandum of Understanding that after two years of litigation is now in U.S. Appellate Court and could run on for several more years. The cost to taxpayers, as well as to innocent collectors and independent scholars has been significant.
Now, five years later, we are visited with a request for renewal of this ill-begotten fiasco. And, without a doubt, the State Department will continue to march to its own drum and ignore the interests and will of the American people. And the coin collectors? They will ratchet up the opposition and the costs will escalate on both sides—that is a certainty. At some point, someone in Washington may look at the issue and say "This is Nonsense!" But I wouldn't wager on it. What is so important that the State Department would allow this to happen? Can it really be over a misguided ideology of comprehensive national stewardship, spawned in UNESCO of all places? That sort of ideology has little appeal in a capitalistic society founded on individual freedoms and personal rights. Furthermore, America has had a love-hate relationship with UNESCO for years. Is this battle really over coins? One would think not. It seems more likely that it is about absolute and total control of the past and that is not an issue of consequence to the State Department. It is, however, a matter of considerable importance to the academic world of archaeology and the link between that world and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is conspicuous by its omnipresence.
It's no accident that the American Institute of Archaeology's website article about this CPAC hearing leads with the words "Protecting Archaeology...." not "Protecting Cypriot Cultural Heritage". The AIA is above all a professional society that nurtures opportunities for its own. Nothing wrong with that.... until the nurturing becomes obsessive. Surprisingly, archaeologists are among the most vocal at expressing their own obsessiveness. In a fairly recent issue of Archaeology magazine, then AIA president C. Brian Rose stated "We must preserve the whole cultural record." If you think that's a quote out of context, read the article which I have conveniently linked here. It's no secret that archaeologists need the permission of foreign governments to dig, and foreign governments have learned in the past couple decades that those permits can have diplomatic strings. Likewise, the State Department has discovered that the granting of import restrictions can have diplomatic benefits. It's a neat little triad with everbody's back getting scratched except that of American collectors and independent scholars. But, in the scheme of things, that's a small, disorganized and inconsequential group—right?
On January 18th, the State Department will entertain public comment on the issue of extending the current Cypriot import restrictions. This comment period is their way of saying "We gave you an opportunity to be heard". Of course, the State Department has also said that they are not obligated to do this—as though we should be ever so thankful for their generosity. And they also have said that they are not obligated to follow their own advisory committee's recommendations. In other words, the hearing process is pure unadulterated and unabashed lip service—a prerogative of unfettered power.
The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild has submitted formal written comment and will be represented at the January hearing. The time allotted for oral comment at that hearing is only five minutes, and the nature of what can and cannot be said is very strictly controlled and monitored. Still, we will have our moment of "freedom" to serve notice by our very presence, if nothing else, that the honorable and legitimate avocation of ancient numismatics remains engaged against this modern tyranny.
