Larissa man arrested over ancient coin collection

A 55-year-old man in Larissa, central Greece, faces charges related to the illegal acquisition and trade of antiquities after police reportedly discovered him in possession of an unauthorized collection of nearly 700 ancient coins.

The operation for the suspect's arrest was conducted by the security branch of the Ioannina police department on information received from a tip-off, the ANA-MPA news agency reported on Friday.

The collection consists of 693 coins, most of which date back to the 4th and 5th centuries BC. The coins have been examined by an expert archaeologist and will be handed over to the Culture Ministry for further assessment.