Who steals this stuff?
If you want them because you care about enlightenment, wouldn't you also want them to be publicly accessible?
If you want them because you care about enlightenment, wouldn't you also want them to be publicly accessible?
It makes me sad to think about all the artifacts of e.g. the Byzantine and Babylonian cultures that were stolen during the recents wars in the middle east, most of it probably made it into the hands of wealthy collectors. At least we can hope that some of the stuff will turn up again, eventually, but since most people don't know how to properly keep these artefacts from decaying there's still a tremendous risk they will be permanently damaged.
I guess it provides status and bragging rights within your social circle. When you and all your friends are rich enough to be able to buy basically anything that is legally for sale, owning stuff that your neighbor cannot also just go out and buy becomes the only interesting type of purchase left to make.
... except being a tax-free investment that will likely hold value forever (because it’s effectively unique) and is often easier to secure than more typical assets (because it’s hard to resell without very specific contacts).
That is a lot less likely when it comes to stolen artifacts.
You also may have to pay wealth tax over possessing expensive goods.
At least with a museum piece, you own a tangible piece of history. It's much more material than a digital checksum chain to some 2009 Satoshi ones and zeros.
No practical benefit but status; a lot of people, rich and poor, are chasing standing.
For Criminal Organizations, drug dealers, terrorists, etc... these items can be used as collateral to secure loans or drugs on consignment, or exchanged for hostages.
They are a vital part of the black market currency exchange. This is a big part of the plot of the book "Gold Finch" if you find it interesting.
Another very easy way to look at it, if you are a drug dealer wanting to move 10 Million dollars, that's not very easy in cash even if its $100 bills. A single painting could hold the same value and take up much less physical space.
And from [2] "Artworks tend to surface either very quickly after they are stolen or else disappear into the underworld where they are traded between criminals at a fraction of their value for drugs and other illicit materials, Marinello said."
[1] https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/worldnews/11904865/van-gogh-pa...
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/aug/16/rembran...
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/623537440/hobby-lobbys-illega...
Obviously not.
And people have been stealing art and historical artefacts as long as we’ve had civilisation so not sure why people are surprised about it now.