Artistic Theft

On June 18, Brazilian conceptual artist Ilê Sartuzi stole a 17th-century coin from London’s British Museum. During a demonstration with a volunteer tour guide, he took a genuine 1645 silver coin from its display case and replaced it with a replica. He then deposited the piece in a donations box on his way out of the museum. The silver specimen was minted during the English Civil War. It was the only coin of British origin on display during the demonstration.

“Services like this rely on a basic level of human decency and trust.”

His three friends recorded the theft in a 7-minute video for his MFA thesis exhibition at Goldsmiths, University of London. He titled the video Sleight of Hand. Sartuzi had been planning the heist for a year. He consulted with a legal team and studied the British Museum’s architectural plans. On June 17, a volunteer caught him during his first attempt to pocket the coin. The next day, he shaved his beard to prevent volunteers from recognizing him.

Sartuzi argues that he intended the coin theft to be a statement against the institutionalization of art, as well as a commentary on cultural heritage ownership. Sartuzi’s legal team states that, since the original specimen never left the building, he did not violate any of the museum’s policies. Additionally, his team argues that Sartuzi’s actions do not fall under the United Kingdom’s Theft Act of 1968.

In response to the coin theft, a British Museum spokesperson condemned Sartuzi’s actions as a “disappointing and derivative act that abuses a volunteer-led service to allow visitors to handle real items and engage with history. Services like this rely on a basic level of human decency and trust.” The security footage from the museum highlights Sartuzi’s planning for the heist, as well as museum security oversights. The British Museum has alerted the police about the incident. It is currently unknown whether the museum will press charges.