Tahsildar Mallikarjun Heggannavar, taluk panchayat EO Basavaraj Ayyanagoudar received the gold coins from GP PDO Mallappa Harogop
The coins weigh around 54.8 grams and are estimated to be worth nearly Rs 10 lakh, according to taluk administration officials. However, their exact date and historical attribution are yet to be confirmed. The labourers who discovered the coins promptly handed them over to the gram panchayat for verification. A panchanama was later conducted in the presence of panchayat development officer Mallappa Harogop, the deputy tahsildar, village administrator, local residents and the workers. PDO Harogop subsequently handed over the coins to Savadatti tahsildar Mallikarjun Heggannavar through taluk panchayat in-charge executive officer Basavaraj Ayyanagoudar. Revenue and panchayat officials also visited the site and inspected the spot where the coins were found. Their age, origin and historical significance will be established after examination by experts and competent authorities. Local historians believe the coins could be several centuries old. The coins reportedly bear images of an elephant and a flag. Some experts speculate that they may belong to the Ganga dynasty or the Vijayanagara period and could be Gajapati Varaha coins, popularly known as Aparanji gold coins.
Belagavi : Fourteen gold coins were unearthed during work under the VB-G RAM G project near the BCM Hostel in Inchal village of Bailhongal taluk on Friday.
Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news. The labourers have been widely praised for handing over the coins to the authorities instead of keeping them. Villagers have urged the government to suitably reward and honour the workers for their honesty. Download the TOI App.