[kamikazeturtles]

What are the economics of stealing historical jewelry?

Their size is probably big enough that any collector could distinguish them from any random jewels.

Who is there to sell to? The best bet is to store it away then let your great grandkids sell it to some Asian billionaire in the future when Europe and Europol no longer have any power and influence.

[Fwirt]

Sadly the article alludes to the probable destiny of these pieces: being broken down for melt value. The big stones will get recut to hide where they came from. If the thieves are “smart” it’s likely these will never be seen again in their current form. It just so happens that the Crown Jewels pack a lot of gold and precious stones into a convenient and easy-to-steal package. That the historical and cultural value of these far outweighs the material value is of zero concern to thieves looking to make a quick buck.

[nradov]

If the thieves were only after the melt value then there are easier things to steal. It seems more likely that these particular items were "stolen to order" for a specific private collector.

[philistine]

That's dumb, but it's the best case scenario that everyone should hope for. If they really are only after street resale of the bare metals and stones, those artifacts are already gone as I write this.

[YZF]

In Egypt the historical gold bracelet was just melted for its gold value:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kw8dwy4dro

Depending on what exactly is this you can find someone to refinish the stones and melt and precious metals. Possibly the stones are not recognizable anyways when taken off. Other than that I assume there is an underground market for these sorts of goods. These thieves seem sophisticated enough to have access to someone who will take this.

Sad.

[hexbin010]

FTA:

> Recovery may prove difficult. “It’s unlikely these jewels will ever be seen again,” said Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds. “Professional crews often break down and re-cut large, recognizable stones to evade detection, effectively erasing their provenance.”

[lifestyleguru]

If your net worth is counted in billions and have hundreds of real estate to hide a collection in.... that might be a caprice within your reach. Looking at WWII, already children will be free to sell the jewelry on auction.

[JKCalhoun]

Pretty sure there is an underground market for billionaires. I don't doubt they have their private collections that only others in the fold get to view. Bragging rights for the rich and famous?

But also, once a thing is stolen, the market for forgeries of said object explodes. I also may have seen too many mysteries on television though.

[lukasschwab]

Large gems can be broken up and recut for sale. Destroys value (certainly the cultural value) but renders them salable.

[russfink]

Ransom? Or is that too risky?

[rixed]

It's explained in the article.

[buildsjets]

I’m sure many Russian oligarchs would be eager buyers. Especially the top Russian oligarch.