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Replies: 14 / Views: 817 |
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New Member
Greece
4 Posts |
Hello to all. My name is Nick.
Why dissapointed ?
Story : I have collect ancient Greek coins 20 years ago, when I lived in Germany. For me was Collecting, a fun and also a investment! Collection was about 300 coins only Silver (from Stater to Tetradrachme) Aftet I decided to move to Greece, I have study the Greek law about collecting of ancient coins, which says :
1. To collect ancient coins(Greek, Roman,Byzantine, etc), you must first Register as Collector and you must have you inventory update always and FOR ALL COINS a proof of payment! (In eBay ?)
2. To Sell a Coin outside Greece is Forbidden, if you do so, you go to Jail!
3. You can Sell your Collection ONLY to a Collector in Greece
4. if you can't find a collector, after your Die, your Collection belogs to the Greek State for Free!(not even to your family!)
I find this is a stupid law, when I see on eBay or Auction House millions of ancient coins are trade every day!
So I decided to Sell all my coins before I moved to Greece!
After 15 years, all my coins which I had in my Collection, have 2-4 times more value! (here I have loose also money.. as I sayed before was also a investenment)
Your comments ?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
37076 Posts |
 to CCF. Sorry to here all of that. John1 
( I'm no pro, it's just my humble opinion ) Searched 5+ Million Cents Since 1971
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
17861 Posts |
Marsias:  to the CCF ! If you are not allowed to collect the coins of your own country, then collect the coins of some other country instead. I collect (among others) ancient Greek coins. How about U.S. coins - the CCF is perfectly suited to that! Or if you wish to collect ancient to modern coins, how about English coins?
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New Member
Greece
4 Posts |
thanks to all. @sel_69l I'aim not interristing in another coins after 15 years of collecting Greek coins which btw are very simple for me to read the inscriptions(as a greek) and knowing 99% of them.
I will participate to this forum to help others to indetify a greek coin or fake coins and so on. Nick
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1100 Posts |
 TO CCF! Sounds like the law makers in Greece have their hands in the collectors pockets. That's unfortunate but as other comments have read, might have to look at other countries coins instead.
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Valued Member
Lithuania
363 Posts |
Kalispera, Nick. But this low helps to prevent the stealing of Greek Heritage.
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Pillar of the Community

United States
3485 Posts |
 to CCF!
-----Burton 46 year / Life ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC Owned by four cats and a wife of 35 years (joined 1983)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1505 Posts |
It unfortunate, but I can see why laws like this exist. There are similar international laws regarding fossil collecting. You can go to jail for taking dinosaur fossils out of China. The poorer nations of the world cannot allow their national history to be pillaged by wealthy foreigners. I wonder if there might be an exception for someone that is repatriating a collection as you were?
The collection is in your mind. Dispose of your albums and free your mind from the tyranny of holes.
Edited by Andrew99 06/23/2017 09:55 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
17861 Posts |
How about Parthian, Seleucid or Bactrian coins? Still Greek inscriptions but not really Greek.
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Bedrock of the Community

Canada
16162 Posts |
 To the Forum .
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Moderator

Australia
13487 Posts |
Quote: How about Parthian, Seleucid or Bactrian coins? Still Greek inscriptions but not really Greek. That won't help in Greece. Greek law is quite clear on the subject: any artifact in Greece that dates from before 1826 belongs to the State. You can buy and sell the rights to be a custodian of artifacts (but only to other Greek citizens) but you can't buy and sell the artifacts themselves. Non-citizens living in Greece are not allowed to possess ancient coins at all, and "becoming a Greek citizen" is virtually impossible unless you have third-generation Greek ancestry. I am not sure what the laws are in Greece regarding immigrants to Greece bringing ancient artifacts with them when they immigrate, or Greek citizens importing ancient artifacts from other cultures. They would probably discourage you from doing so. This is one reason why post-1826 Greek coins are so popular in Greece; they are the only Greek coins that people in Greece are legally allowed to own and collect without restriction.
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
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Moderator

United States
94141 Posts |
 to the Community!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5069 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
11922 Posts |
 to the CCF!
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New Member
Greece
4 Posts |
@sel_69l All ancient coins are not allowed, including roman and byzantine coins which have not a single Greek letter on it! This also considered as Greek H eritage! 
Edited by marsias 06/26/2017 04:25 am
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Replies: 14 / Views: 817 |
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