Hundreds of Lydia coins rescued from smugglers in Greece are returning to Türkiye

Greek customs officials seized 1,055 Lydia coins that were minted between the 7th century BC and the 5th century BC.

During a search at the Kipi Border Gate in Greece, experts, including Numismatist Ülkü Devecioğlu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Köker from the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, discovered that among the silver coins, there were also coins belonging to the Lydians, who were the first to mint coins.

According to a report by Anadolu Agency, Turkish experts determined after days of detailed work that all the coins belonged to Türkiye.

It was reported that among the silver coins, there were examples minted in Tarsus, Side, Aspendos, and Soli-Pompeiopolis.

Following the experts’ findings, contacts began between Turkish and Greek authorities, resulting in the Anatolian-origin coins being handed over to Türkiye by Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni to Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy at a ceremony to be held tomorrow at the Numismatic Museum in Athens.

The necessary maintenance and cleaning of the artifacts will be carried out at the Istanbul Restoration and Conservation Center and Regional Laboratory. The artifacts will be exhibited at the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

With the return of these recently repatriated artifacts, a total of 1,149 artifacts will have been returned this year, 8,953 since 2018, and 13,268 since 2002 to their homeland.

Cover Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism