TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have confiscated 750 coins, which are estimated to date back to the 1st millennium BC, from illegal antique dealers in Tehran province.

“750 historical coins, related to 3,000 years ago, along with an old book have recently been seized from a gang of illegal antique dealers in Tehran. And, the relics are now being examined by cultural heritage experts,” ISNA quoted a senior Tehran police official Keyvan Zahiri as saying on Saturday.

“Upon receiving a report, the police started the investigation of a 70-year-old father with two of his 47 and 37-year-old children living in one of the neighboring provinces of Tehran, together with two of their accomplices living in Tehran, who were formed a five-member gang to sell gold and antique coins.”

“Preliminary investigations indicated that the father and his three sons were discovering gold and antique coins by the means of metal and gold detectors and unauthorized excavations in one of the neighboring provinces of Tehran province, and after identifying the buyer(s), they ventured to sell the objects through two of their assistants.”

“In the next step of the police investigation, it was revealed that these people have recently discovered a number of old coins related to 3000 years ago and intend to sell them to a buyer in Tehran,” the police official explained.

In early July, Amir Rahmatollahi, a senior police official in charge of protecting cultural heritage, announced that the Iranian police had blocked 86 websites which were illegally trading historical artifacts.

Back in June, Facebook banned the sale of historical artifacts, including Iranian carpets, on its platforms in an attempt to prevent priceless items looted or stolen from being sold online.

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, embracing settlements dating back to 4000 BC.

AFM/MG