... in this regard, John:

>> I'm willing to bet that many, many, many other numismatic items were not
>> mentiond; thus not writ into the HPA, but such items would still fall
>> under the HPA in court when considering their "association" with the items
>> mentioned.

That is, when the legislature takes the trouble of making a specific list of the items included in a statute, without making it clear that the list is not exclusive, courts generally limit the application of the law to the listed items.

Thus, by putting the specific list of items in this statute, Congress may have precluded its application to any other item which is not listed.

There is another, rather arcane, legal consideration -- what standard of review will apply if the law is challenged. In simple terms, for a law like this, the court will construe the statute very narrowly; that is, it will be given the least extensive application (as contrasted, for example, with public safety statutes, which will be given the broadest possible application).

----- jim o\-S