On Friday, 9 January 2009, the SofiaEcho reported that about 3,800 coins smuggled into Verona, Italy from Bulgaria were seized in 2005 and will be soon returned to their country of origin. Four Bulgarians were detained in Verona and have been deported; they are expected to be tried according to the law. The report also states that the coins may have been smuggled by the same gang that robbed the Veliko Turnovo museum in 2006. The full text of the article reads:"Bulgaria will receive back from Italy close to 3800 antique coins and other archaeological objects, smuggled into the country in 2005, Bozhidar Dimitrov, director of the National History Museum said, quoted by Bulgarian language Sega daily on January 9 2009.
The significant part of the valuables consists of silver and bronze Roman and Byzantine coins, which experts have valued at around 35000 euro, Sega daily said.
Four Bulgarians have been detained in Verona, Italy, for trying to sell the objects. They have been deported to Bulgaria and will be tried in accordance with local legislature.
Dimitrov has said that the authorities suspect that the coins could have been smuggled out of the country by the same criminal group that committed the robbery at the Veliko Turnovo museum in February 2006.
At that time more than 10 000 golden, silver and bronze coins were stolen from the museum's numismatic fund. Among them were valuable coins dating back to the time of Alexander the Great. At the time police said that the robbery had been very well planned and that an insider might have helped."
The report is significant for a number of reasons. First of all it highlights the fact that Bulgaria continues to be a major source of ancient coins for the black market in ancient coins and antiquities and is a major supplier to indiscriminate dealers and collectors in Europe and North America. See some previous comments in my posts on "The Illicit Antiquities Trade in Bulgaria," "Der Handel mit antiken Münzen. Ausmaß and Netzwerke (The Trade in Ancient Coins: Scale and Networks)," "Archaeology Magazine's 'Under Threat' List Includes Bulgaria," and especially see my lecture "The Ancient Coin Trade in the USA: Scale and Structure" as well as Center for the Study of Democracy's 2007 report on Organized Crime in Bulgaria: Markets and Trends (Chapter 5, pp. 177-202, The Antiquities Trade - Dealers, Traffickers, and Connoisseurs). Secondly, it indicates that authorities suspect this incident may well be related to a previous robbery in which ancient coins were stolen from a Bulgarian museum, though the article from SofiaEcho does not name any specific suspects.
It is well known that Bulgaria, which forbids the unlicensed and unscientific excavation of antiquities and their export, is a major source for western markets. The report on Organized Crime in Bulgaria, cited with a link above, estimates that between 30 and 50 Bulgarian nationals living in Western Europe and the United States actively arrange for the shipment of mass quantities of these coins to market nations. Any collector, dealer, or scholar working with the ancient coin trade will also recognize that many of the bulk suppliers of ancient coins are Bulgarian. These "wholesalers" sell fresh supplies of ancient coins to both other dealers and collectors. Higher quality coins will be sold wholesale to other dealers while "cheaper" or more "common" material that is less valued by the market will be disposed of in bulk lots directly to collectors via eBay or VCoins. One commonly sees packages of a thousand or more "uncelaned coins" on places like eBay. It is not a very big secret. To some degree corruption in Bulgaria allows looters and smugglers to operate with relative impunity.
In 1999, Frankfurt customs officials intercepted a shipment of 60kg of ancient coins from Bulgaria, bound for a New York airport and ultimately to a New Jersey address, which had been falsely declared. Scholarly numismatists were called in to examine the shipment which contained about 20,000 coins. Some of the coins had been partially cleaned already and had been divided up according to their relative market value, with smaller and more common coins left dirtier. Research by these numismatists indicated that only a small fraction of this particular shipment would have sold for over €100,000 in the auction market. Investigation by Frankfurt customs officials showed that in the previous weeks and months the individual in question shipped approximately one metric ton (literally) of material through Frankfurt airport to the United States before this parcel was inspected. The individual in question is a known supplier and dealer of ancient coins in the United States.
One metric ton would be about 350,000 ancient coins. To put this in perspective the largest scholarly archive of ancient coin finds, Fundmünzen der römischen Zeit in Deutschland, only inventories around 300,000 to 350,000 coins. These inventories have been published regularly since 1960 and represents the full time work of several scholars who inventory finds from old and new excavations, casual finds, hoards, and local collections. Essentially the individual in question smuggled as much in a very short amount of time as nearly 50 years of full time work cataloguing hundreds of archaeological and historically singificant sites in Germany. But of course, gangs of metal detectorists move much more quickly than archaeologists. Even the largest public collections of ancient coins in the world (e.g. the British Museum and the American Numismatic Society) contain around c. 350,000 coins. The level of destruction represented by this one wholesaler is ghastly. The individual in question is politically connected; in 1999 he was the brother of the Bulgarian Prosecutor General - who himself later faced corruption charges - and even though he had been arrested for antiquities crimes before he was never charged in this crime. For more discussion of these shipments in 1999, see R. Dietrich, "Cultural Property on the Move - Legally, Illegally," International Journal of Cultural Property 11.2 (2002) 294-304. Dietrich's article does not name the shipper/dealer, but refers to him as "Mr. B." which I will use henceforth.
Mr. B. is a known supplier of ancient coins to other dealers and he also sells in bulk via eBay. He is still very active today. His eBay storefronts include "Silenos" (10,431 positive feedback as of 22 April 2008 - each positive feedback represents a transaction with a unique buyer, i.e. at least 10,431 different people have purchased from him via eBay) and "S*P*Q*R" (3,019 feeback as of 22 April 2008). The dealership of "Silenos Coins" is also listed as coming soon on VCoins.com.
In 1999, shortly after the shipments were coming through Frankfurt, the Moneta-L discussion list referenced his activity, with some swooning over the booty he offered them. Mere months after the Frankfurt shipments, one of Mr. B.'s friends wrote on the Moneta-L list:
"List members,
There is a new source of uncleaned ancient coins and nice quality antiquities on eBay, to which I invite your attention. The "User ID" you use to do a "Seller" search on eBay is: "Silenos." This dealer is an old friend of mine, and has been wholesaling to the leading dealers in America and Europe for years, and has decided to enter the retail market on selected items. I personally vouch for the honesty and fairness of this individual. Give this company a try. You will be delighted!"
Another dealer then responds:
"Would that be [Mr. B.]?"
The friend who announced the "new source" replies to the dealer:
"Yes, but PLEASE don't advertise it. He wants to keep a low profile in dealing with the public. He is uncomfortable in doing so, and has hired a young lady to be the 'face to the public' on sales."
And then an unsuspecting collector tells us about one method this wholesaler was using to divide up the coins which were spirited out of Bulgaria in contravention to both law and ethics:
"I'd like to hear the answer to this onlist. [Mr. B.] had a booth at CICF [Chicago International Coin Fair] this year for the first time, and I had a chance to meet him. He wasn't retailing at his booth, he was selling strictly wholesale. I found myself drawn to his bags of late Roman bronze and bought them the only way I could - a handful at a time. Very pretty stuff. By mid afternoon of the second day of the show all his LRB were gone. If he is going retail, I hope he keeps one foot in the wholesale door. Maybe you can convince him he doesn't need the customer relations hassles that come with retail."
It is clear that the mass quantities of coins smuggled out of Bulgaria through Frankfurt airport to the United States by Mr. B. were sold directly to other dealers and collectors. But what does this have do with the recent announcement about the coins seized in Verona? Nothing is certain since the article by SofiaEcho does not name the individuals involved, but the report did tell us that "...the authorities suspect that the coins could have been smuggled out of the country by the same criminal group that committed the robbery at the Veliko Turnovo museum in February 2006." In addition to Dietrich's article, the above cited and linked report on Organized Crime in Bulgaria: Markets and Trends discusses the coins that Mr. B. sent through Frankfurt airport in March 1999 (but note it states his address has been in Florida for several years; this may be an error since his address at the time of the 1999 shipment was in New Jersey and appears to have been such even later). The report indicates further that Mr. B. may have been involved in the Veliko Turnovo museum case. Page 186 of the report provides a citation and states:
"The online news agency Mediapool announced that the name of [Mr. B.], who has been living in Florida for several years already, was found under an internet offer selling coins, supposedly part of those stolen in the notorious Veliko Tarnovo museum robbery."
Is Mr. B., who still acts as a supplier to other dealers and sells directly to collectors, involved with the case of the recent seizure of coins in Verona? It seems according to the report he was/is a suspect in the Veliko Tarnovo museum case and apparently authorities believe the recent seizure of coins in Verona is related.
Whatever the case, perhaps the most important question is whether or not dealers and collectors are really comfortable stocking their inventories and coin cabinets from wholesalers such as this who are brazenly violating international laws and unethically sponsoring the systematic destruction of our past and the knowledge that goes along with it. Greater concern for law, ethics, due diligence, and - above all - transparency is greatly needed.
(Photo from another news article about the return at StandArtNews, "Italy Returns Antique Tre[a]sure to Bulgaria," 22 December 2008)
13 comments:
Nathan;
You hit the nail right on the head when you wrote: "To some degree corruption in Bulgaria allows looters and smugglers to operate with relative impunity." So, how do you propose that we stop that and still honor the existing laws in the United States? Seriously, if you have a viable proposal, I am a receptive audience.
Wayne
Wayne,
Good question. When there is corruption in the government it creeps down to regional and local levels and so while Mr. B. may not have been actively prosecuted because of his political connections, many looters and metal detector tourists are allowed to loot by paying off local law enforcement as well. Certainly, international pressure is one way for government corruption to be minimized in nations such as Bulgaria - corruption compromises the effectiveness of democracy. I believe the Center for the Study of Democracy, the authors of the report Organized Crime in Bulgaria: Markets and Trends are actively studying corruption in Bulgaria so that people in Bulgaria and other nations can push for changes in Bulgarian government. In addition to the black market in antiquities, the report also covered drug trafficking, the trade in stolen vehicles, etc. In Frankfurt, I have seen some articles in the local newspapers about how growing corruption in Bulgaria has been fueling other illicit activities. It seems that European nations and U.S. State Department is well aware of the problems in Bulgarian government and it seems some pressure is being put on the government from the U.S. and Europe, though I do not know in what particular way. It is actively being studied in the West and is finding its way into popular news.
I think we should also recognize that as global consumers, we have the power to make changes or reinforce existing criminal structures. Buying mass produced Chinese products, for example, can reinforce the Chinese government and the human rights violations that have been committed there. Buying certain contraband substances on the street in the United States reinforces corruption and criminal networks in South America. Buying illicitly excavated and exported coins and other antiquities from Bulgaria and other Eastern European nations also reinforces corruption and criminal structures there. As responsible collectors, dealers, museum curators, and scholars we should shun material coming from these regions when there is no valid export license and when there is good indication it is recently looted (e.g. still covered in dirt). We should not be conducting business with wholesalers who are bringing in material from this region.
All the best,
Nathan
Nathan,
you wrote: "We should not be conducting business with wholesalers who are bringing in material from this region."
And how would you suggest that such a prohibition be enforced?
Wayne
Wayne,
To me it would seem easy enough to avoid trading with these people who are bringing this stuff illegally in from source countries. I think a good place one might start is by updating the ACCG and VCoins Code of Ethics, for instance.
The level of destruction represented by the "wholesalers" and market suppliers is grave and it is surely unethical to encourage this behavior. They also operate contrary to the laws of source countries. If they are falsely declaring goods or the value of their goods - as occurred in the 1999 example - they are also violating other international laws and the laws of the United States. It would seem desirable to update various ethical codes.
Further, I think even more proactive "self-policing" efforts by the trade community could be rather effective. As you know, I have discussed the idea of registry schemes with collectors and ACCG members such as Ed Snible and Peter Tompa and dealers and ACCG members such as Jim McGarigle. While we have sometimes found disagreement on the details of such a scheme, we are finding, I think, a lot of common ground. If implemented properly, a photo registry scheme of some sort could significantly cut down on the scale of freshly looted material that is entering and supplying much of the market. Ed kindly sent me a copy of his article on the topic which he published in the Celator last year and I have seen a pre-publication copy of Rick Witschonke's editorial on the same subject which I understand was just published in the January issue.
I came to know Rick, who is a well-respected collector and a Curatorial Associate at the American Numismatic Society, when I was studying at the ANS in 2004. In his article sympathetic to Ed's previous article, Rick makes a clear and succinct argument that collectors and dealers cannot continue with the status quo and, recognizing that archaeologists and collectors ought to be allies, they must start taking some responsibility and proactive steps to reduce their role in the destruction of the past. I agree with him. He also urges that source countries should consider taking up schemes similar to the Treasure Act and PAS. This is a feasible suggestion and many countries may benefit from such a scheme down the road. In my view, we must also recognize that the PAS does have some problems that need to be worked out - simply drafting 'John Q. Public,' who has no archaeological training, to dig holes anywhere and as deep as they like is not a viable solution. That is simply declaring present illicit activity licit and endorsing the destruction of archaeological sites and the loss of knowledge that goes along with it. We should also recognize that if nations such as Bulgaria did eventually adopt a scheme like the UK and properly enforced it, the scale of coins coming out of source nations would be drastically reduced. This is, of course, a desirable outcome considering that looters are presently operating in organized gangs and with shovels and bulldozers. The people who would suffer from tightened ethical codes and registry schemes, and even properly enforced PAS-like schemes, would be wholesalers who smuggle this stuff to the U.S. and also the dealers who are happy to stock their inventories with their loot.
Nevertheless, there should be no reason why ethical dealers and collectors would not want denounce the activities of these wholesalers and suppliers and demand that the market take more proactive steps to address the current market role in the problem by increased transparency via clearly articulated ethical codes and other proactive measures. I have noticed in the current thread on the Moneta-L list that several collectors have expressed interest in a photo registry program and have stated themselves they prefer to buy coins with older provenance and will refuse to buy 'uncleaned coins.'
Best,
Nathan
Dear Nathan;
As in every discussion that we have had previously, you simply cannot it seems answer a simple question with a straightforward response. You wrote: "We should not be conducting business with wholesalers who are bringing in material from this region." In response, I asked "And how would you suggest that such a prohibition be enforced?"
I had hoped for a plausible suggestion. Instead, you have delivered a polemic on a variety of other issues. You start with the codes of ethics of ACCG and Vcoins. I will remind you that my question was about "enforcement" of a prohibition on dealing with source country suppliers. No code of ethics is ever going to serve effectively as a tool of enforcement. The codes of ethics are rules of conduct not public statutes. Would you feel better if the ACCG code of ethics said that guild members should not deal with smugglers? Do you really think that would help stop the sale of coins that you call "looted"? Let's not be naive. Please answer my question about enforcement.
I have no idea why you dragged registry or Rick Witschonke's editorial into the discussion. You seem to think that "self-policing" is a form of enforcement. It is not. In fact, registry is not even a form of policing unless there is a mandate to do it and that in itself means it is not self-policing.
I'd like to hear some concrete and germane discussion about how the ACCG or any other organization could conceivably stop transactions between wholesalers and retailers of ancient coins.
Please respond with shorter more focused and succinct thoughts so my limited intellect is able to keep up.
Regards,
Wayne
What a revealing exchange of views. On the one side talk of only doing things "enforced", the other representing the idea that in the world there ARE those who do and don't do things because they think they are right, not because any law tells them to. It would be nice to think that there are many more of the latter in US ancient coin collecting than the ACCG seems to give credit for.
Dear Wayne,
And as usual you strive to obfuscate and distract from the issue or topic at hand. You asked about "enforcement." Had I touted bilateral treaties and import restrictions, or an outside government body to oversee and regulate ancient coin and antiquities dealers you would have surely howled and cried "big brother," "government looking over my soldier," "violation of privacy," etc. Would you have not? Such outside regulation goes against your ideology that there should be a "free market" in ancient coins, and perhaps by extension, antiquities as a whole. Is that not why you and your group actively combats bilateral import restrictions, even from countries that do not even have ancient coins to import? I understand collectors and especially dealers would resist such outside regulation and that is why I did not suggest outside "enforcement." I am sure your questions were bait, hoping I would suggest these things you could rail and wax philosophical against them.
In all truth, however, I do believe that good self-regulation would be the most effective. The Getty Museum now has a clearly articulated acquisitions policy that it now follows religiously. As long as it follows its own policy, the Getty will not acquire recently stolen and looted ancient art. The Association of Art Museum Director (AAMD) has now also articulated a policy, with some wiggle room, but if it and its members follow the main thrust of the policy, the amount of loot appearing in public collections will decrease dramatically.
Self regulation, or "self-enforcement," would certainly work for collectors and dealers as well. What is the harm in updating and clearly articulating the ACCG and VCoins Codes of Ethics if dealers are in fact not dealing with wholesalers importing this material directly from source countries? However, archived discussions on the Moneta-L list seemed to indicate that many dealers were purchasing or had purchased from the wholesaler who was discussed in this post.
I brought up Ed's and Rick's articles because it is good to see that much more moderate voices are starting to prevail. There are also some other collectors on the Moneta-L list in the recent thread who have echoed, knowingly or not, similar thoughts. A great many collectors realize that indiscriminate market demand and indiscriminate dealer activities (which are largely secretive by the way) are not good for the preservation of the world's cultural heritage and is affecting the systematic destruction of archaeological and historical sites and the knowledge that goes along with it. Surely one collector on the Moneta-L list is right when even he recognized that the current ACCG leadership is more interested in protecting dealer interests than it is collector interests.
It is a shame that you are in a position, Executive Director of the ACCG, to make some positive change and to address the problems that an indiscriminate market demands create, but do not wish to do so. You could set an example, you could address the issues, you could ask "what can I do to see to it that we as a community are not stocking our inventories and cabinets with recently looted material?," you could take steps to diminish the systematic destruction of the past that is currently taking place to feed a largely indiscriminate market demand. Instead, you are content with status quo and with burying your head in the sand, denying - in spite of the mountains of evidence - that indiscriminate collecting and indiscriminate dealer sourcing has anything at all to do with organized looting in source countries. You actively combating any and all regulation or anything that might hinder import and export of anything, whether it may be looted or not, no matter when or where it came from or how it came to the market. You are content with being an obstruction on the path to progressive change instead of a facilitator of positive reform and a spirit of cooperation.
In the context of the present discussion of this SINGLE wholesaler who sent one metric ton of looted coins to the United States in 1999, which he then sold to other dealers who stocked their inventories with it, I again emphasize my final point:
Whatever the case, perhaps the most important question is whether or not dealers and collectors are really comfortable stocking their inventories and coin cabinets from wholesalers such as this who are brazenly violating international laws and unethically sponsoring the systematic destruction of our past and the knowledge that goes along with it. Greater concern for law, ethics, due diligence, and - above all - transparency is greatly needed.
People who are willingly to work together to make positive change and address the serious issues of looting caused by indiscriminate collecting and sourcing are needed. There are several collectors out there who are willingly and want to do this, but they do not seem to be represented by the ACCG. I wish you would prove me wrong on that final point. I wish you and your organization would use your position to address the issues proactively, rather than maintaining a detrimental status quo that benefits only dealers, dealers who may stock their inventories from such wholesalers. Collectors want change too; its not just the archaeological community that is worried about the destruction of archaeological/historical sites and the role that the market plays in it.
Best,
Nathan
Dear Nathan;
I suppose that the world needs idealism like yours. When it mellows to the point that your ears are also engaged in a conversation let's give it another try.
'Til then,
My regards,
Wayne
What a dizzying spin! The inverse is precisely my point: I have suggested and urged opportunities for dialogue and pointed out consensus and opportunities for seeking solutions many times, which you shy from.
I have studied the evidence and a great many collectors agree that indiscriminate market demand in its current state causes problems. I discuss those problems openly and honestly and I am excited by some of the thoughtful proposals that have been put forward by collectors.
Again, collectors also yearn for change and proactive efforts on both "sides" that will decrease destruction and preserve the archaeological. You are in a position, potentially, to affect some of this change and I have extended my hand many times, but you refuse to acknowledge there is any problem at all. That is a tenuous position indeed.
I'll be here when you really want to talk about working together and making some proactive changes that will preserve history, context, and ultimately knowledge for all of us.
All best,
Nathan
Nathan,
How are the guys repsonsible for the looted Bulgarian coins which were caught in Italy linked to corruption in Bulgaria on a larger level? In particular what do they have to do with the uncleaned coins and wholesale market?
Best,
Bill
Hi Bill,
I can't say specifically about the Verona case since the name was not released officially, but it is common knowledge that those involved in trafficking antiquities out of Bulgaria are often involved in other illicit activities in the Bulgarian mafia. For example, many of the smuggling channels used for the trafficking of antiquities and ancient coins out of Bulgaria are the same as those used to smuggle drugs. A google search can reveal some of these Bulgarian media reports. I'm doing a lecture next month on the trade in Balkan minor antiquities and will be addressing the larger criminal aspect of it. I am considering posting it online and, if not, I could send you a private copy for you to read over once it is ready.
Essentially, those buying from such wholesalers, whether they like it or not, are reinforcing these criminal structures in Bulgaria and their other illicit activities as well, whether it be the trade in stolen cars or drug trafficking.
Bill, I forgot to mention you might want to look at the report Organized Crime in Bulgaria: Markets and Trends by the Centre for the Study of Democracy for some more information. Also, Paul Barford posted a link to a discussion by a collector who is very familiar with "uncleaned coins" from the Balkans and she hints at the character of the people trading in these things.
Best,
Nathan
For developments on this story see here.
Post a Comment