Fourteen gold coins weighing a total of 54.8 g and valued at roughly Rs 10 lakh were uncovered on Friday near the BCM Hostel in Inchal village, Bailhongal taluk, while work on the VB‑G RAM G project was underway. Labourers handed the find to the gram panchayat, prompting an official verification.
A panchanama was conducted in the presence of PDO Mallappa Harogop, the deputy tahsildar, the village administrator, local residents and the workers. Following the ceremony, PDO Harogop transferred the coins to Savadatti tahsildar Mallikarjun Heggannavar through taluk panchayat in‑charge executive officer Basavaraj Ayyanagoudar, and officials inspected the discovery site.
Taluk administration officials confirmed the combined weight of 54.8 g and the estimated market value of about Rs 10 lakh, noting that the coins’ period and historical importance will be ascertained after examination by experts and competent authorities.
Local historians suggested the coins could be several hundred years old, bearing an elephant and a flag motif. Some specialists speculated a link to the Ganga dynasty or the Vijayanagara era, proposing they might be Gajapati Varaha (Aparanji) gold coins, though their precise dating remains undetermined.
The labourers received widespread commendation for surrendering the coins to authorities, while villagers appealed to the government for an appropriate reward and honourarium.
