10-29-2003, 07:19 PM
ERic:
Not to prolong this beyond its natural life, but Russian government institutions are certainly more corrupt than the military, It's just that the military sells stuff that makes really big bangs. From the word of friends and from reading the Russian press, I would say that the most dangerous criminal group right now is the police. A government institution that you would think would be better supervized. Another is the customs service.
I will take your word that the mint is highly secure; you've obviously observed it first hand. I have not.
My point really is that because something is against Russian law, as Alexei says that faking is, does not mean it won't happen. The police enforce "selectively," the courts adjudicate haphazardly, and the population sees this activity as acceptable. It is a sociological problem as much as a legal one and has roots both in traditional Russian culture as well as 70 years of communist rule.
And, as collectors, we HAVE to believe the mint is secure.
Poka, Dr. Bob
Not to prolong this beyond its natural life, but Russian government institutions are certainly more corrupt than the military, It's just that the military sells stuff that makes really big bangs. From the word of friends and from reading the Russian press, I would say that the most dangerous criminal group right now is the police. A government institution that you would think would be better supervized. Another is the customs service.
I will take your word that the mint is highly secure; you've obviously observed it first hand. I have not.
My point really is that because something is against Russian law, as Alexei says that faking is, does not mean it won't happen. The police enforce "selectively," the courts adjudicate haphazardly, and the population sees this activity as acceptable. It is a sociological problem as much as a legal one and has roots both in traditional Russian culture as well as 70 years of communist rule.
And, as collectors, we HAVE to believe the mint is secure.
Poka, Dr. Bob
