Conspiracy Theory in New York

.
(Continued from the post above) But how could the coineys discuss anything without involving a muddle-headed conspiracy theory? So let us look again at the article of Jeff Starck about the NY coin seizure ('Officials seize two ancient coins at NYINC, Detain owner of coin with $2.5 million opening bid', Coin World online Jan. 09, 2012), looking for the inserted creepy stuff.

Three times we hear of "individuals identifying themselves as law enforcement officials". The writer is presumably invited to think that they might not have been. The article goes on:

"exactly who seized the coins, and why they targeted Weiss (who is a partner in Nomos AG), is unclear. Despite multiple telephone calls to law enforcement agencies in the New York City area, Coin World has been unable to confirm the identities of the authorities making the seizures and detaining Weiss".

Did they arrive in black helicopters? The article does not say. The plot deepens, because officials at New York County District Attorney's office would not confirm or deny what eyewitnesses report, and the spokesperson for the New York Customs and Border Protection office did not return Coin World’s telephone call. At the time of printing, they had also unable to reach anyone at Dr Weiss's office to determine his "status", as if they had all just "vanished".

[I think, if what I am hearing is correct, they should have recognised one of the arresting officers, he's quite famous in antiquities crime fighting circles.]

The author of the article stresses that the seizure was just one day before the sale, just two highly visible coins were taken. He depicts it in the broader context of "the ongoing fight over cultural property as it affects coins" [he forgot to say "unlawfully exported"]. He tells his readers that this has been "the most visible action"...

since the recent announcement of broader import restrictions of ancient Greek coins, which was made Dec. 1 in the Federal Register.

Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 231 / December 1, 2011 to be exact, referring to coins issued at places that lie within the boundaries of the modern Greek state. Coins struck in Sicily (which the US coiney authors of the article should know is actually in Italy these days) are not covered by the MOU to which the article refers. This is scare-mongering of the highest degree with minimal respect for the intelligence of the reader.

Vignette: Black helicopter over the Waldorf Astoria hotel (after a photo by Digital Flowers)