Cultural Property Observer Peter Tompa discusses an interesting case ("Museum and Auction House Work Together To Reunite Collector With His Coins", CPO Thursday, June 8, 2017)...
"a great story about the efforts of Virginia State authorities, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and CNG, Inc. to find the owner of a box of ancient coins that had been lost. A happy ending about how government officials and private industry worked together to reunite a collector with his collection".Given the comments of the opponents of collecting who point to an inability to provide documentation of provenience as one of the flaws of the trade they wish to ban, I think it rather sad that this case shows that when they really want to, dealers can work out years afterwards who they SOLD coins to, but when asked by collectors to supply that information do not have proper records where those coins came from... I think when we see something like that, it does make you ask yourself why that should be and whether our critics do not have to some extent a point. It all seems rather amateurish.
I'd be interested in the views of other collectors, whether knowing where the items they now own reduces their interest and value, or on the contrary adds interest and provides further space for investigation and research- enhancing our knowledge of the geography which forms the inescapable background to our study of the history of the ancient world.
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