BELAGAVI: Fourteen gold coins, believed to date back to the Ganga period, were unearthed by labourers near the BCM hostel at Inchal in Saundatti taluk of Belagavi district.
The labourers were engaged in construction work near the hostel when they found the coins inside an earthen pot. The 14 coins together weigh 54.8 gm and are estimated to be worth around Rs 8.27 lakh.
Displaying honesty, the labourers handed over the coins to the local government authorities. In the presence of the panchayat development officer and the other taluk panchayat staff, the coins were handed over to Saundatti Tahsildar Mallikarjun Heggannavar, who subsequently deposited them with the treasury.
The coins reportedly bear an elephant motif. Historical accounts state that the elephant was the royal emblem of the Ganga dynasty of Talakad, raising the possibility that the coins could be associated with the Ganga period.
Preliminary information suggests that the coins may belong to a period between the 10th and 15th centuries AD. However, their exact age, origin and historical significance are yet to be established.