Over 500 coins seized at Attari border of antique value: ASI

Amritsar, Sep 7: The customs department today said that as per an Archeology Survey of India (ASI) report, over 500 coins which were recovered near Indo-Pak international border in Amritsar last year, are of antique nature and some of these could be as much as 2000 years old.

Addressing the media here, Amritsar customs commissioner Sanjay Gahlot said as per an ASI report, 539 coins belong to ancient times likes Indo-Greek, Mughal, Lodhi empire and Takshila, Kushan periods.

Some of the coins were are as much as 2,000 years old, he said. He said these coins have been handed over to ASI, considering their historical importance and national heritage value.

These coins are priceless and their estimated value may be in several crores rupees, he said.

The customs department had seized 539 coins last year from a Pakistani and an Indian national who crossed over to India from Pakistan at Attari border in Punjab's Amritsar district.

Later, the two were relesed but the coins were handed over to ASI, he said. A special committee has been formed to find out the motive in bringing these coins to India from Pakistan he added.

PTI