Stater

Greece has returned a total of 1,055 ancient coins which were illegally excavated and smuggled out of  Turkey, in the first such repatriation between the two countries.

The coins were seized by customs at the Kipi border crossing on the Greek-Turkish land border in July 2019.

Police officers from the Cultural Heritage and Antiquities Department have apprehended three men, aged 54, 69 and 52, for suspected antiquities smuggling. The charges against the trio include establishing a criminal organization and violating laws pertaining to antiquities and possession of weapons.

A rare ancient Greek coin fetched a record-breaking six million dollars at an auction held on May 19 at the Numismatica Ars Classica auction house in Zurich.

The 2,400-year-old gold stater, minted around 340-25 B.C.E., was bought by a private collector, Artnet Magazine reported. 

Fifteen ancient objects dating from the prehistoric to the Roman period are being repatriated to Greece from Switzerland by decision of a Geneva court in July last year following proceedings against an antiquities dealer. 

An ancient coin believed to be the oldest one found so far in Bulgaria has been discovered in the Black Sea just off the town of Sozopol.