800-year-old copper coins to be exhibited

Palanpur: Heritage enthusiasts from the state will for the first time get a glimpse of some rare copper coins dating back to the Sultanate period in the country.
The Patan administration has decided to put about eight centuries old copper coins on exhibition this year. These coins will be put on display at an exhibition that will also be held for the first time at the historic Rani ki Vaav – a step well built in the 11th century.
District collector Anand Patel, who is a heritage enthusiast, said, “We have some 1,800 copper coins that will be put on exhibition for the first time. Prima facie, these coins seem to be of the Sultanate period in the country.” District officials said that these coins were found from different places in Patan over the last two decades. While some of the coins were recovered from the fields, others were found during excavation work near Mahakali Temple.
The authorities said that some of the coins had inscriptions in Urdu and Persian referring to Sultan rule that could date to as early as 1,200 AD. “Our plan is to organize an exhibition at the Rani ki Vaav every year. These coins that will be a part of the exhibition would remind the youngsters of our ancient era,” Patel added.
Patel remained present during the counting of the coins, cleaning and segregation of the coins that have been stored in separate boxes with proper labels and numbers. After being discovered, they were kept in the district treasury for years.