Antiquities and Coin Collectors Beware

An important call to action from Peter Tompa ("Cultural Property Observer"):

Antiquities and Coin Collectors Beware; It Could Happen to You African Elephants deserve protection, but should this mean effectively banning the sale of antiques made of ivory? And what of public consultation? Shouldn't there be an opportunity for collectors to make their concerns known before such a ban is put in force? One would think so, but as Doug Bandow, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, has forcefully argued that has not happened. Indeed, instead of writing new rules and allowing for meaningful public notice and comment, the Obama Administration has simply reinterpreted current rules in a new, particularly draconian fashion to pursue what can only be characterized as a prohibitionist agenda. Antiquities and coin collectors beware; there are some at the Archaeological Institute of America, the US State Department and US Customs who would love nothing more than to achieve a similar ban on the sale of all antiquities and historical coins. Only continued vigilance can stop this from happening.

And the time to start is now. Stop the erosion of our freedoms by government overreach.