A Utah man has discovered himself in the midst of an argument this week over a set of problem cash he bought on eBay that includes a surprising picture.
The cash depict the now-infamous, real-life picture of a Border Patrol agent chasing down Haitian migrants alongside the U.S.-Mexico border final September.
Except he hears in any other case from authorities, the vendor, Andy Christiansen, instructed NPR that he nonetheless has about 20 cash left and intends on placing them up on the market once more.
“It is strictly a enterprise for me,” he instructed NPR over the cellphone. And it is apparently a well-liked one at that.
As soon as the eBay itemizing of this specific coin made its rounds, Christiansen mentioned, it was “flying off the shelf” at one level. Curiosity was sufficiently big to inflate the price of one coin to almost $500.
Although the cash are emblazoned with “U.S. Border Patrol” and phrases like “You’ll be returned” and “Reining it in since Could 28, 1924” (the date the Border Patrol was established), the company’s management maintains it isn’t an official Customs and Border Safety (CBP) coin.
“These cash anger me as a result of the hateful photographs on them don’t have any place in an expert regulation enforcement company,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus mentioned in a press release to NPR. “Those that make or share these deeply offensive cash detract and distract from the terribly tough and infrequently life-saving work Border Patrol brokers do every single day throughout the nation.”
An company spokesperson instructed NPR that the company’s Workplace of Skilled Accountability is investigating whether or not anybody at CBP is promoting this coin.
The spokesperson added in a press release, “The CBP Workplace of Chief Counsel (OCC) can even ship a cease-and-desist letter to any vendor who produces unauthorized problem cash utilizing considered one of CBP’s trademarked manufacturers.”
CBP had indicated this week that it was investigating the origin of the cash. So following these statements, Christiansen took the eBay posting down in the interim.
However as of Friday afternoon, he instructed NPR, he had but to listen to something from any investigators. He is planning on reselling the 20 or so cash he has left except he hears from CBP or different authorities. A problem coin is a kind of small medallion that bears a company’s or group’s insignia, and it is often carried by its members. Members of the navy usually have these cash.
Christiansen mentioned he’s not the producer of those cash; the individual or enterprise that ordered or manufactured these cash continues to be a thriller.
/ Andy Christiansen
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Andy Christiansen
In response to Christiansen, the packaging he acquired the cash in after buying them at public sale was clear and had no markings or indication of the cash’ origin.
He runs a enterprise in Utah that buys at public sale gadgets that had been misplaced or broken throughout delivery by FedEx or the U.S. Postal Service. That is how he got here into possession of the cash — combined in a field with different problem cash, Christiansen mentioned. He mentioned he was unaware of the that means of what was depicted on the cash.
Christiansen mentioned he is nonetheless mystified by the scene the cash depict.
“It is not that I am making an attempt to be detached. I am uneducated on that scenario. And for me to say something can be silly,” he mentioned. He added that he does not have any political opinion on it both approach.
The backstory
The dramatic scene that the coin depicts passed off final yr when numerous migrants were attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
On the time, 1000’s of migrants — together with many Haitians — tried to cross into the U.S. from Mexico. That is when Border Patrol brokers used their horses to attempt to flip them again. Video of this specific conflict caught an agent utilizing his horse’s lengthy reins to dam a person from coming into the U.S., making many consider he was whipping the person.
And in broadly seen images — now depicted on these specific problem cash — an agent lunged from his saddle to seize a person by the shirt.
Following this incident, Border Patrol mentioned it launched an investigation and changed its policies relating to the usage of horses at that Texas border crossing. The White Home additionally strongly condemned these brokers’ actions.
Since information of those cash made headlines, Christiansen has acquired feedback each supportive and important of his option to promote them.
He learn one remark he acquired that mentioned, “Simply needed to say all of us right here in Phoenix, Arizona, completely beloved the CBP horseback problem coin.” The individual went on to say, “We might have appreciated to purchase one.”
He has additionally acquired some messages “chastising” him for placing them up on the market.
He was unfazed by these feedback and mentioned, “Everyone’s acquired a proper to their opinion.”
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