Greek Coins now subject to import restrictions

The request for import restrictions on cultural objects from Greece has finally wound its way through the legal channels and is a fact of life.  Effective December 1, 2011, import restrictions have been applied to the vast majority of ancient coins struck in Greece during antiquity.  The designated items are:

"Greek Silver Coins-This category
includes the small denomination coins
of the city-states of Aegina, Athens, and
Corinth, and the Kingdom of Macedonia
under Philip II and Alexander the Great.
Such coins weigh less than
approximately 10 grams and are known
as obols, diobols, triobols,
hemidrachms, and drachms. Also
included are all denominations of coins
struck by the other city-states, leagues,
and kingdoms that operated in the
territory of the modern Greek state
(including the ancient territories of the
Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly,
Epirus, Crete, and those parts of the
territories of ancient Macedonia, Thrace
and the Aegean islands that lie within
the boundaries of the modern Greek
state). Approximate date: 6th century
B.C. to late 1st century B.C.
c. Roman Coins Struck in Greece-In
silver and bronze, struck at Roman and
Roman provincial mints that operated in
the territory of the modern Greek state
(including the ancient territories of the
Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly,
Epirus, Crete, and those parts of the
territories of ancient Macedonia, Thrace
and the Aegean islands that lie within
the boundaries of the modern Greek
state). Approximate date: late 2nd

century B.C. to 3rd century A.D."

Federal Register /Vol. 76, No. 231 /Thursday, December 1, 2011 /Rules and Regulations 74691

These import restrictions do not affect coins already outside of Greece prior to the date announced.  It can be anticipated that Greek coins will become more difficult to import into the United States and that the market will reflect that change.