Freakonomics Radio 541. The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin
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May 4, 2023 
Matthew Bogdanos, an Assistant District Attorney and chief of New York's Antiquities Trafficking Unit, joins economist Jim Marone and law professor Patti Gerstenblith. They unravel the perplexing journey of a looted Egyptian gold coffin to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, emphasizing the ethics of art ownership. Discussions reveal how Kim Kardashian influenced cultural restitution efforts. The trio dives into the complex market of looted antiquities, shedding light on the legal challenges and moral dilemmas facing museums and art collectors today.
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Met's Due Diligence Failure
- The Met's due diligence failed because they didn't scrutinize the coffin's export license.
- The license had a blatant error: It used Egypt's modern name, despite the license's purported date being earlier than the country's official name change.
The Coffin's False History
- The Met's press release falsely claimed the coffin was legally exported and had been in a private collection.
- The looter, motivated by unpaid dues, revealed the coffin's true origin to Bogdanos' informant.
Museums as Trophy Cases
- Many museums are essentially trophy cases, displaying artifacts obtained through colonization and empire building.
- Examples include the British Museum holding the Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes, despite repatriation requests.