Russian law enforcement officials have uncovered a collection of ancient gold coins that were previously stolen in France, on the antique market in Moscow.
Report informs via Interfax that Irina Volk, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), confirmed the discovery.
The collection was originally kept in the historic museum in Saint-Rémy in the city of Reims, France.
Upon investigating the sale of coins on the Moscow antique market, authorities found them to match the description and name of the stolen items. An Interpol inquiry was made to French authorities, which confirmed the coins’ theft.
According to Volk, thefts involved rare ancient coins minted from the 1st to 5th century AD. The museum guard responsible for the theft was convicted, but the stolen items were never recovered until now.
After conducting an investigation in an antique shop and with several numismatists, 79 coins were seized. Experts from the State Historical Museum verified their historical and cultural value.
The approximate value of the collection is said to exceed 55 million rubles (~$655,728). The French authorities are currently working on plans to return the collection to its permanent exhibit in France.