[MSN] DO COINS MATTER?

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

This is an urgent reminder for letters to be submitted to the  
Cultural Property Advisory Committee in the U.S. Department of State   
by 5 pm Monday, February 5, 2007.

Cyprus has asked that coins be restricted from being imported to the  
US because it considers coins to have considerable archaeological  
significance when found in context, and, like other such materials,  
they are vulnerable to pillage and illegal export. The proposal is to  
include in the new bilateral agreement coins found in Cyprus that are  
more than 250 years old.

We urge everyone who cares about this issue, and particularly people  
who can speak from experience about the importance of coins to  
archaeology, to email or fax letters supporting the inclusion of  
coins. Whether you're a student, a volunteer on an archaeological  
dig, a professional archaeologist, or a coin collector of conscience,  
we urge you to get involved and write to CPAC.

The outcome of this request does not only affect Cyprus, it could set  
a precedent for other pending and upcoming bilateral agreements such  
as China's, for one. So let's work together and rally some support to  
protect your profession and everyone's past.

Letters don't need to be very long, take a look at  http:// 
www.savingantiquities.org/i-safe-alert.htm to read some of the  
letters already sent in support of this request. If you would like to  
post your letter on our website, please email it to  
cho at savingantiquities.org.

DO IT NOW. The deadline for submitting a letter is Monday, February  
5. Letters must be either faxed or sent by email to the Committee at  
the address below:

Cultural Property Advisory Committee
Cultural Heritage Center
U.S. Department of State
   301 4th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20547

E-mail: culprop at state.gov
Fax: (202) 453-8803