Rich haul of 7th century coins

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has confirmed that the 3,000 coins found in a field in Mathura district were indeed of antique value. The ASI chief here, Dayalan, said this was the biggest such find in the Agra circle and that the coins found in two copper vessels were of different periods between the 7th and 10th centuries.

“The coins need to be cleaned to decipher the script. We have decided to carry out further excavations in the area hoping to find some more valuable pieces of history,” Dayalan told IANS.

He said the coins would be kept in the Mathura museum, according to an arrangement discussed with the Mathura district magistrate.

ASI sources said coin experts in Lucknow would soon examine the coins, which seem to be made of silver and alloy.

Senior Superintendent of Police Mathura Satyavendra Singh said the coins were discovered from a field attached to the Janaki temple in the village.

The tractor driver and labourers rushed to the temple priest with the copper vessels.

The priest was later found to have disappeared when the village ‘panchayat’ got to know of the find.

The ‘panchayat’ members wanted to use the proceeds from the coins for the development of the temple and the village.

But some people alerted the police, which soon swung into action. Inspector Kosi Naresh Kumar reached the village and took possession of the coins.—IANS

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