Italy returned ancient Greek coins put up for sale on the Internet to Greece through Ambassador Eleni Surani.
The confiscation of five coins, offered for sale online for £1,500, was carried out by the Carabinieri Corps, which specializes in combating the illegal trade in works of art and archaeological heritage. The person who illegally owned the coins did not realize their true value, writes CNN Greece.
The investigation was coordinated by the Milan prosecutor’s office, and the Monza carabinieri took over the operational part. Ancient Greek coins date from the fifth to second centuries BC, from the Classical to Hellenistic periods. They are in excellent condition, they depict Alexander the Great with the “lion”, Athena and Glaux, Zeus, Dionysus, Hercules as the defender of Thassos. Ms Surani told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency:
“This is an extremely important step that confirms the close cooperation between the Greek and Italian authorities in the field of cultural heritage protection. A collaboration that we strive to strengthen through the exchange of valuable experience and knowledge, which is based on the use of advanced technological tools.”
More Stories
Unknown persons blew up an ATM in Patras and stole money
In the shallow waters of Glyfada "got lost" shark (video)
Fire in the ΟΑΣΘ bus in Thessaloniki (video)