BOSTON LIBRARY COIN RETURN CEREMONY

Almost 200 ancient Roman coins. A book taken from the personal library of a 14th century archbishop. An illuminated page from a 15th century manuscript.

Those are some of the items of "significant cultural value" that US homeland security officials and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh plan to hand over to the government of Italy in a Wednesday afternoon ceremony.

The 198 coins were first seized by US customs officials in 2014.

Joining them for the ceremony are Boston Public Library's head of special collections, Beth Prindle; Boston's special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Matthew Etre; Acting U.S. Attorney William Weinreb; and Carabinieri Brigadier General Fabrizio Parrulli of Italy's police corps.

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, "HSI oversees investigations into the trafficking of cultural property from around the world. It also manages the return of such items to their rightful owners. Federal law gives HSI the authority to take a leading role in criminal investigations that involve the movement of stolen or looted cultural property."

The ceremony is set for noon at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.

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Boston Public Library takes part in returning nearly 200 ancient Roman coins and other artifacts to government of Italy (www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2017/04/
boston_public_library_returnin.html)

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