Posted 02/01/2023 5:21 pm
You also need to be aware of Italy's laws regarding ownership of antiquities. Under Italian law, while ownership of ancient coins is legal, exporting them is not as straightforward. So long as you remain in Italy with them, you should be fine.
It is also essential to keep records of import or purchase, preferably with photographs so you can prove that this specific coin belongs with that receipt. Any coin which does not have proof of purchase from an authorized dealer, or proof of legal import from another country, might be liable to seizure. If the government accuses you of owning looted or stolen coins, it is basically up to you to prove that they are not.
They're not going to worry about a tiny collection of only a couple of coins like what you have now, but the larger your collection becomes, the more the Ministry of Culture will be interested in it. There is a threshold of value for a coin collection, currently €46,598.00, below which the Ministry of Culture aren't going to care unless they have direct evidence that you're personally involved in looting or actively aiding and abetting the looters.
It is also essential to keep records of import or purchase, preferably with photographs so you can prove that this specific coin belongs with that receipt. Any coin which does not have proof of purchase from an authorized dealer, or proof of legal import from another country, might be liable to seizure. If the government accuses you of owning looted or stolen coins, it is basically up to you to prove that they are not.
They're not going to worry about a tiny collection of only a couple of coins like what you have now, but the larger your collection becomes, the more the Ministry of Culture will be interested in it. There is a threshold of value for a coin collection, currently €46,598.00, below which the Ministry of Culture aren't going to care unless they have direct evidence that you're personally involved in looting or actively aiding and abetting the looters.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
