A pot containing silver coins from the British-era was found by labourers while they were digging the earth for construction of a house at Hareenahalli village in Periyapatna taluk near here.
The coins having a face value of ₹1 dated back to the 19th century with years ranging from 1840 to 1887, said police officials. They weighed around 11 grams each.
While Empress Victoria was found imprinted on one side of the coin with Queen Victoria’s portrait, the other side bore the face value of one rupee with India and the year.
The labourers, identified as Deve Gowda, Vishwa and Krishna Nayaka, found the silver coins on February 4 while digging the plot belonging to Rame Gowda. They stealthily took the pot away to their native village Katmantikavalu.
“They had distributed the coins among themselves,” Circle Inspector of Periyapatna police station Siddaiah told The Hindu. The plot owner was kept in the dark. When the police received a tip-off, they visited Hareenahalli on Saturday and arrested the labourers, who later led them to the silver coins.
Sub-inspector Chikkaswamy said the coins will be handed over to the tahsildar after informing the court.
Next, the tahsildar or a competent authority will have to issue notice inviting claims under the Treasure Trove Act before going through the stipulated procedures. The owner of the land can stake claim over the coins and prove his ownership or the coins will become government property, an official said.
