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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbook, May 1973-March 1978

ARCH.2003.39, Rendition: 806521

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This appears to be a scanned copy of a newspaper article from the "Boston Globe" dated Monday, December 3, 1973. The headline reads, "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard." The article discusses a significant theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins from the Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. It mentions the value of the stolen coins exceeding $5 million.

The article includes a photograph of the coin room at the Fogg Art Museum, showing shattered display cases on the floor, indicating the extent of the robbery. There is also a small inset image of a 5th-century BC coin from Athens, which is mentioned as being similar to those stolen.

The article is divided into two main sections. The first section discusses the theft, providing details about the value of the coins, the amount stolen, and the context of the robbery. The second section, titled "Coins tell history of 2 empires," is a separate article that discusses the historical and cultural significance of the coins.

The newspaper has a vintage appearance with aged paper and a simple layout, typical of newspapers from the mid-20th century. The article also includes a note at the bottom of the page crediting UPI for the photograph.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct

This is a scanned newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe, dated Monday morning, December 3, 1973. The headline reads, "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard." The article discusses the theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins, valued at over $5 million, from the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University. The robbery occurred on the previous day around 1 a.m. and involved a 3-foot-square safe containing 2,650 mostly silver Greek coins and 3,000 gold, silver, and bronze Greek and Roman coins taken from display cases.

The clipping includes a photograph showing the aftermath of the theft, with display cases and debris on the floor. A caption under the photo describes the scene as the "coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum after the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins."

Another section of the clipping, titled "Coins tell history of 2 empires," discusses the historical significance of the stolen coins and their value as teaching resources. It mentions that the coins could have been used for bartering in ancient times and their importance in understanding the economics, religion, and politics of the Greco-Roman world.

The clipping is mounted on a brown paper background with two holes punched at the top, likely for filing purposes. The text is written by Robert L. Ward and Joe Pilati, both Globe Staff writers.

Qwen, qwen.qwen3-vl-235b-a22b

This image shows a preserved newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe, dated Monday, December 3, 1973. The clipping is mounted on a tan or light brown cardstock, which has two punched holes at the top, suggesting it was filed or stored in a binder. The newspaper page is marked with “BOSTON GLOBE” handwritten in red ink above the headline.


Headline & Main Story

The main headline reads:

“Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard”

by Robert L. Ward, Globe Staff.

The article reports on a major theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins from Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum. The coins, whose total value is estimated to exceed $5 million, were stolen overnight. The theft is reported as the largest in history involving rare coins, surpassing a previous record of $1.5 million.

Specific details:

  • A 3-foot-square safe was broken into and contained 2,650 Greek coins, mostly silver.
  • Another 3,000 coins (Greek and Roman, in gold, silver, and bronze) were taken from open display cases on the same floor.
  • The FBI and museum officials initially estimated losses between $1 million and $5 million, though the full amount would take time to determine.
  • The coins were not insured by the university, according to museum director Daniel Robbins, who called the robbery “madness.”
  • A photo insert shows a 5th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen.

Photograph

To the left of the article, there’s a black-and-white photo captioned:

“Display cases litter floor in the coin room at Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum after the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins. (UPI)”

The photo depicts a chaotic scene: the floor is scattered with dozens of small, rectangular display boxes or trays, suggesting a hurried and destructive theft. In the background, you can see a doorway marked “COIN ROOM,” shelves, and what appears to be a desk and chair. The room looks ransacked.


Related Article

Below the main story is a smaller article titled:

“Coins tell history of 2 empires”

by Joe Pilati, Globe Staff.

It discusses the historical and educational value of the stolen coins, noting they constitute “a vast treasury of information about economics, religion and politics of the Greek-Roman world.” It quotes David Gordon Mitten, associate curator of ancient art, lamenting the loss as “obliterating” a fundamental teaching resource.


Additional Details

  • The newspaper lists: “40 Pages — 15 Cents”
  • Telephone number: “388-8000”
  • References to “POGG, Page 3” and “MUSEUM, Page 3” indicate the story continues elsewhere in the paper.

Overall Context

This clipping documents a notorious 1973 art theft—the largest coin heist in history at the time—from a major university museum. The story underscores not only the immense monetary value of the stolen items but also their irreplaceable cultural and educational significance. The clipped, filed format suggests this was preserved for archival or research purposes, likely due to the historical weight of the event.

Note: The actual coins were never recovered, and the case remains unsolved.

Amazon, amazon.nova-pro-v1:0

The image depicts a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe, dated December 3, 1973. The headline reads "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard," indicating a significant theft at Harvard University. The article is written by Robert I. Ward and Joe Piasli, and it is accompanied by a photograph of a broken display case in the coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum. The article details the theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins, some of which are believed to be worth millions of dollars. The museum director, Daniel Robbins, expresses his shock and disbelief at the theft, and the article also includes a quote from David Gordon Mitten, an associate curator at the museum, who describes the stolen coins as a "fundamental part of our teaching resources." The article provides information about the potential value of the stolen coins and the impact of the theft on the museum's collection and educational resources.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

A newspaper article is about the theft of coins from Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. The article includes an image of the coin room and mentions that the coins were worth millions of dollars. The article also includes a quote from the museum director, Daniel Robbins, who said that the coins were taken by an unknown robber. The article also mentions that the coins were taken from the museum's collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins, which is considered to be the largest in history.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

The image is a scanned front page of the Boston Globe dated Monday Morning, December 4, 1972. The headline prominently displayed is:

"Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard"

Key Details from the Image:

  1. Headline and Subheading:

    • The main headline emphasizes the theft of valuable coins from Harvard University.
    • A subheading introduces the story as a significant robbery involving ancient Greek and Roman coins.
  2. Visual Elements:

    • Left Side (Image):
      • A photograph shows the interior of a coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum.
      • Display cases are visible, some of which appear to be empty or disturbed, indicating the aftermath of the theft.
      • The caption below the image reads: "Display cases litter floor in the coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum after the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins. (UPI)"
    • Right Side (Illustration):
      • An illustration of an ancient coin is shown, labeled as a "6th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen from the Fogg Museum at Harvard."
      • This visual reinforces the story's focus on the historical and monetary value of the stolen items.
  3. Article Content:

    • The article is attributed to Robert L. Ward, Globe Staff.
    • It details the theft, which occurred around 1 a.m. yesterday (December 3, 1972).
    • The stolen coins include:
      • Ancient Greek and Roman coins, with an estimated value exceeding $5 million.
      • The coins are described as the largest holding in history, believed to be the largest in history, including pieces from the Willis H. Du Pont Collection.
      • The coins were stored in a 3-foot-square safe in a room on the museum's third floor, which was broken into.
    • The article mentions that the coins were not insured, and the loss is expected to be $5 million or more.
    • James Newberry, a special agent, initially estimated the loss at over $1 million, but later revised it upward.
    • The museum's director, Daniel Robbins, stated that the coins were not insured and that the university had not yet learned the full extent of the loss.
    • The article also references a 6th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen, to highlight the historical significance of the theft.
  4. Additional Article:

    • Below the main story, there is a secondary headline: "Coins tell history of 2 empires", written by Joe Pisani.
    • This article discusses the historical and cultural value of ancient coins, referencing the theft and its implications for understanding ancient civilizations.
  5. Publication Details:

    • The newspaper is identified as the Boston Globe.
    • The date is clearly marked as Monday Morning, December 4, 1972.
    • The page number is 40 Pages, and the price is 15 Cents.
    • A telephone number (388-8000) is listed at the top right.

Overall Impression:

The image captures a significant news story about a high-profile theft of ancient coins from Harvard's Fogg Art Museum. The combination of the bold headline, the photograph of the disturbed coin room, and the detailed article text underscores the historical, monetary, and cultural importance of the stolen items. The inclusion of an ancient coin illustration further emphasizes the story's focus on the value and significance of the artifacts.

OpenAI, gpt-4o-2024-11-20

This is a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated Monday morning, December 3, 1973. The headline reads: "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard." The article describes the theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins valued at an estimated $5 million from Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. The theft appears to have been a break-in, leaving the museum's coin room in disarray.

The photograph accompanying the article shows the aftermath of the robbery: a messy scene with scattered papers and broken materials on the floor in the museum's coin room. To the side, a smaller image of a coin is shown, captioned as a "5th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen from the Fogg Museum at Harvard."

Additional information in the article mentions the coins' historical significance, their loss, and details of the investigation by museum authorities.

OpenAI, gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07

A vintage newspaper clipping mounted on a brown backing. The clipping is from the Boston Globe (dated Monday morning, December 3, 1973) with a large headline: “Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard.” Handwritten in red above the headline reads “Boston Globe.” The page shows two images: on the left, a photo of a coin room with display cases and coins scattered on the floor; on the right, a close-up of a coin. The caption at the bottom mentions the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins from Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum.

OpenAI, gpt-4

The image appears to be a photograph of a newspaper clipping mounted on a cardboard background. The newspaper is identified as the "Boston Globe," with the date being Monday morning, December 3, 1973. The headline of the article reads "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard," referring to an incident of theft from Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. A subheading or additional article title says "Coins tell history of 2 empires" which suggests the coins have historical significance.

To the left of the article, there is a black and white photograph showing what appears to be a room labeled "COIN ROOM," with display cases tipped over and lying on the floor, suggesting a scene of disarray following the theft. The caption under the photograph states that the display cases lie on the floor in the coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum after the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins.

On the right side, there is another small image of a coin with the caption "5th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen from the Fogg Museum at Harvard."

The visible text of the article begins with an account of the theft, noting that it was discovered on a Sunday morning, and providing some details about the stolen items and the circumstances, including a quote from someone named Robbins.

The condition and presentation of the newspaper on cardboard give it an archival or display-quality appearance, suggesting that it may be preserved for historical or educational purposes.

OpenAI, gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14

The image shows a newspaper article dated Monday morning, December 3, 1973, from the Boston Globe. The article is titled "Coins worth millions stolen from Harvard." It reports on the theft of ancient Greek and Roman coins worth up to $5 million from Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum. The robbery is described as the largest in history involving rare coins, surpassing a previous record theft in 1967.

The article mentions that a 3-foot-square safe containing 2650 mostly silver Greek coins was taken from a museum room, along with other Greek and Roman coins in gold, silver, and bronze removed from display cases on the same floor. An FBI special agent says an initial loss estimate is more than $1 million and could exceed $5 million.

There is a large photo on the left side showing a coin room with display cases littered on the floor after the theft. The caption reads: "Display cases litter floor in coin room at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum after the theft of thousands of rare Greek and Roman coins. (UPI)"

At the right side of the article is an image of a 5th Century BC coin from Athens, similar to those stolen at Harvard, with a design featuring an owl.

Part of the article also discusses the historical significance of the coins, noting that the coins tell the history of two empires and have economic, religious, and artistic importance.

Overall, the article covers the details of the theft, the estimated value and loss, and the cultural importance of the stolen ancient coins.