They're very, very valuable scientifically."[8] The Oriental Institute had been returning them to Iran in small batches.[9][3][4] Since the 1930s, the Institute had returned several hundred tablets and fragments to Iran and were preparing another shipment when the legal action began.[8] An appeals court later overturned the order,[12] and in 2018, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the subsequent ruling that the collection cannot be taken from the Oriental Institute to satisfy the judgement.[13]