guy 156 Report post Posted March 25, 2023 (edited) Numismatists and other antiquarians are warned. This rare “EID MAR” coin, which sold at auction for $3.5 million dollars, was returned to the Greek government by the Manhattan DA’s office: Quote The repatriation ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Greek Consulate in New York City and included 29 Hellenic antiquities dating back as early as 5,000 BCE, according to a news release from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. All of the antiquities were seized in connection with trafficking and smuggling investigations; New York Homeland Security Investigations special agent Ivan J. Arvelo said in a statement that Grecian artifacts are "especially susceptible" to trafficking because ancient Greece has "long (been) acknowledged as the cradle of Western Civilization." Among the repatriated items is the "Eid Mar Coin," which sold to an anonymous bidder in the United States for £2.7 million ($3.5 million) through the Roma Numismatics auction house in London. But the coin had been smuggled into the UK after previously being offered for sale in Germany with no declared provenance, according to the release. The Manhattan DA office seized the coin in February. Rare Coin, Minted by Brutus to Mark Caesar’s Death, Is Returned to Greece - The New York Times (nytimes.com) New York returns 'extraordinarily rare' gold coin to Greece — after it set auction record for $3.5 million - CNN Quote A bronze calyx krater, or vessel, dating from 350 B.C., was one of the 29 looted antiquities that investigators in New York returned to Greek officials. Here is some background on another “EID MAR” coin: Edited March 26, 2023 by guy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
