Ancient coin repatriated to Greece by US authorities

An unprovenanced ancient coin, identified as a Stater (c. 500-480 B.C.), was handed over to the Greek Ambassador to the US, Alexandra Papadopoulou, on Thursday, by officers of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The coin is from the island of Aegina off the southeast side of Greece and depicts the type of sea turtle that was the badge of the ancient city-state of Aegina. It was confiscated from a package that was mailed from a European country (not Greece) to the United States.

Ambassador Papadopoulou expressed her appreciation and commended the officers for their diligence and dedication in tracking illicit antiquities. She thanked them for recognizing that source countries have the right to possess items important to their people’s heritage.