Cyprus Coins Spark Legal Fight USA
The US-based Ancient Coin Collectors Guild (ACCG) is suing the State Department in Baltimore District Court for restricting ancient coin imports from Cyprus and China.
According to the ACCG, its small packet of inexpensive Chinese and Cypriot coins were seized by US Customs in Baltimore on July 20th, 2009 and was never released. The ACCG accuses Cypriot advocacy groups of lobbying to restrict their import rights.
"Information from a parallel Freedom of Information Act lawsuit suggests that after behind-the-scenes lobbying (was) orchestrated by Cypriot advocacy groups," said the ACCG.
The ACCG hopes its test case will help prompt the ECA to change its rules on cultural artefact imports, it said.
"In a world where globalism is not just a trend but an irreversible fact of life, how can anyone justify turning America into an island of prohibition for something as innocuous as a common coin?" said Wayne Sayles, the executive director of the ACCG.
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