After Customs seizure, U.S. returns 'priceless' ancient coins to Greece

June 21 (UPI) -- The United States has returned dozens of stolen ancient coins to Greece in what is the largest collection of its kind to be intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and repatriated.

Homeland Security Investigations returned the 51 Greek coins to representatives from Greece and the National Hellenic Museum in a repatriation ceremony in Chicago, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Wednesday.

The Ambassador of Greece to the United States Alexandra Papadopoulou, Consul General Emmanuel Koubarakis and Consul Georgia Tasiopoulou were among the guests to receive the repatriated coins in last week's event.

"This is a successful example of how when we join forces, we can make miracles," said Papadopoulou.

"As these coins get back to Greece where they belong, I'm sure it will make an exciting, powerful display as part of our culture, as part of our shared identity and as part of our close relationship with the United States."

The ancient Greek coins were seized by CBP during four separate shipments as they entered the United States, after the shippers and consignees were unable to provide proper documentation of ownership.

"Trafficking in antiquities is a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise, but when traffickers steal these antiquities from a country, they're robbing from the cultural heritage of a nation -- solely for their potential to generate profit," said HSI Chicago special agent in charge R. Sean Fitzgerald.

"It is often extremely difficult to put a specific monetary value on an ancient historical coin," Fitzgerald added. "That notwithstanding, as tokens of the world's oldest democracy, Greece's cultural property -- in HSI's view -- is considered priceless."

Since 2007, HSI investigations have helped repatriate more than 20,000 objects, including paintings, statues, coins and manuscripts to more than 40 countries as part of its Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities program.

The CPAA program works to improve international relations by returning "looted cultural heritage and stolen artwork."

In fiscal year 2022, CPAA repatriated religious artifacts and architectural drawings stolen from Jewish communities during the Holocaust, to 15 countries, including France, India, Iraq, Italy, and Mali.