Wow! I just digested this string of posts. Now I get why no-one was answering! lol
Not to open another 'can of worms' but the buisiness plan seems to make sense from the museums point of view:
1)hypothetically purchase 'historical' coins from outside
Italy2)make sure that they were not minted in
Rome(just in case)
3)sell them at inflated prices to tourists
They can just re-sell what they bought fairly. It doesn't have to matter that they(mints/cities) were loyal cities to
Rome, because this is just
history. Of course the
average coin 'buyer' will likely not realize about restrictions, but by that point it's a
bit too late for any tourist to return their purchase.
I also read into the discussion that the priviledged-to-sell dealers in
Italy have to love less competition with all of the restrictions;)
The only way this topic can get any more heated, is if some sneaky bugger threw-in a curve-ball about the religious implications of a
Constantine coin!
For those militant-style coin restrictors I have one very ironic point to add:
At what point in time does the digging-up of old graves/tombs/catacombs/religious temples in
Italy begin to become considered archaeology and not just a terrible desecration? I think one has to look at the 'grey areas' with an open mind and respect.
There are some of these issues going-on in
North America, which could very well relate.
With the internet, these times share information so well. If someone digs-up a
rare historical coin, legit. or not, I believe it will turn-up for everyone to learn about soon enough;)