Smuggled Coins Seized in Operation Colosseum Returned to Greece

A group of 118 ancient coins, which were seized by the Swiss Customs at Zurich Airport in November 2011, have been returned to Athens. The ancient coins were being smuggled by a Belgian national and permanent resident of Greece, named as Constantine Vanheerswyngels. The silver coins were probably part of an unreported hoard dating to the first half of the 4th century B.C.

The coins were concealed in a CD player. The smuggler presented himself as a collector and declared that the coins were bought in famous auction houses in Munich and Brussels. His intention was to sell them in Switzerland.

Greece has signed with Switzerland a bilateral agreement “on the import, transit and repatriation of cultural goods”. Greece's rich cultural heritage has been plundered for centuries. In recent years the country has stepped up efforts to get back illegally exported artifacts from foreign museums and collections. The ministry said the coins' return followed an out of court settlement, but gave no further details. The coins will be delivered at the Numismatic Museum of Athens. The current whereabouts of Mr  Vanheerswyngels is not stated.

Sources:

Maria Arkouli, 'Swiss Return Stolen Coins To Greece', Greek Reporter May 31, 2013

Associated Press, 'Confiscated hoard of 2,400-year-old coins returned from Switzerland to Greece' Fox News May 31, 2013.

 Joint Customs Operation Colosseum (see also http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/customs/customs.nsf )