The ACCG has filed a Freedom of Information Act appeal regarding the Smithsonian’s withholding of all 37 pages of responsive materials on their virtual workshop training US law enforcement "to combat trafficking in ancient coins."  We believe that the public has a keen interest for this information, since we question whether anti-collecting archaeological advocacy groups were invited to participate when trade associations and collectors groups like the ACCG were not.  We are also concerned that the workshop was an indoctrination session that suggests that any unprovenanced ancient coin is illegal, when that is simply not the case.  Here is our FOIA appeal letter:  ACCG RMyers FOIA appeal of Smithsonian withholding all 37 pages on virtual task force (5.4.2021).pdf

On April 20, 2021 the ACCG submitted comments on the European Commission‘s draft rules on the introduction and the import of cultural goods into the European Union.  As detailed in our written comments, we requested the draft rules be clarified to confirm that its List of supporting documents, to prove licit provenance in an import license application for any ancient and modern collectors’ coins, do not apply to counties like the United States when they are a “country of interest,” when such coins have been properly located in the country for more than five years.  ACCG comments on EU draft rule.pdf

The ACCG has sent a letter to the Secretary of State on getting fair representation on the Cultural Property Advisory Committee.

ACCG letter to Secretary Blinkin on CPAC composition with attached GHA letter 4.1.2021.pdf

The ACCG has submitted a FOIA request to the Smithsonian regarding training of the Antiquities Task Force, and how law enforcement officials  are supposed to determine how and when imported coins may be subject to seizure. 

ACCG RMyers FOIA request to Smithsonian about Antiquities Task Force 3.24.2021.pdf

On behalf of the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild, this responds to object to the proposed MOU and associated import restrictions with the Republic of Albania, and object to the proposed extension and amendment of the MOU and associated import restrictions with the Arab Republic of Egypt, as it impacts ancient coins, that is being considered by U.S. Cultural Property Advisory Committee in a public notice described at 86 Federal Register 84 7 4, Docket DOS-2021-0003 (February 5, 2021)......

Read full document here:

ACCG objection to proposed Albania and Egypt MOU as applied to ancient coins 2.26.2021.pdf

Ancient Coin Collectors Guild objections to the proposed renewal of US-Greece MOU 9.11.2020.pdf

..."we question why it is necessary to extend this MOU, when the real jeopardy to Italy's cultural patrimony seems to come from poor stewardship by the Italian State..." Read full document here: ACCG_11-page_comments_objecting_to_ACCG proposal_to_extend_US-Italy_MOU_7_6_2020.pdf

The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild1 ("ACCG") joins the numismatic trade in questioning the wisdom of Libya's request. It should be tabled pending receipt of further information or, at most, "emergency" restrictions should be promulgated that are limited to site specific material from Libya's endangered World Heritage Sites: (1) Kyrene; (2) Leptis Magna; (3) Sabratha; (4) Tadrat Acacus; and (5) Ghademes. (See Libya's five World Heritage sites put on List of World Heritage in Danger, (UNESCO) (July 14, 2017), available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1523/ (last visited July 7, 2017).)...  Read full document here:  ACCG Submission.pdf

Although some archaeological blogs on the internet have mistakenly suggested otherwise, the ACCG does not oppose nor lobby against the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act—and is not opposing an MOU with the Arab Republic of Egypt. This misunderstanding may be innocent enough in some cases, but is clearly a malicious distortion in others... Read full document here:  ACCG-EgyptMOU.pdf

In 2007, the ACCG assembled and provided to CPAC for its consideration an analysis of ancient Cypriot coins found in documented hoards outside of the boundaries of the modern Republic of Cyprus—uncontestable evidence that these coins circulated widely during antiquity and since. One member of the committee opined that this evidence, attached again here, was a deciding factor in the committee’s recommendation to exempt ancient coins from the provisions of the MOU under consideration... Read the full document here: ACCG-CPAC-Cyprus-2012.pdf