Good. If I mistakenly sell something valuable for $0.50 at my yard sale, I don’t get to change my mind and get it back. Why should the government?
“Why should the government?”
The French have an art law that says, in effect, if somebody sold something that is French art we can take it back without paying for it. Several classic cars were legitimately sold over the years and the US government has forced the owners to return them. The owners weren’t even compensated for restoring them. I understand this has happened with paintings and statues, etc.
Damn right.
There are actually laws covering the sale and recovery of DRMO and other government “surplus”. Usually, they’re invoked over safety (weapons, materials, etc.) or security (crypto, etc.).
There are cases where the government has sold live JATO rockets and other munitions without realizing it, only to discover them for sale on-line. The law allows them to recover the items, which seems practical.
Trying to recover for historical reasons is also valid, but this one slipped by them.