A house foundation dig in the Futera Ward area of Damoh district has triggered a major controversy. Workers unearthed an earthen pot filled with British-era silver coins at the site. The discovery quickly turned contentious, with a labourer alleging that large quantity of coins was deliberately kept away from authorities.
Where and how the coins were found
The discovery was made at the ancestral home of Alok Soni, a government school teacher, in the Futera locality. The property falls under the limits of Kotwali Police Station in Damoh.
Soni had engaged labourers to dig foundation pillars for construction work at the site. During the digging, the workers struck an earthen pot, locally called a handa, buried underground. The pot contained a collection of old silver coins.
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The Department of Archaeology examined the seized coins and confirmed they belong to the British colonial period. The coins date between 1815 and 1915, spanning roughly a century of British rule over India. Administration officials seized 42 silver coins from the site.
Labourer’s allegation sparks row
The situation took a sharp turn when one of the labourers, identified as Patel, levelled serious allegations about the recovery.
Patel claimed that the actual quantity of coins recovered during the excavation was far larger than what was handed to authorities. According to him, the total coins dug up weighed approximately 30 to 35 kilograms.
Patel further alleged that after the coins were found, each labourer was paid Rs 500 and told to leave the site. He alleged that a large portion of the coins was not surrendered to the administration.
If accurate, the allegation points to deliberate attempt to conceal significant quantity of historical artefacts. Silver coins from the British colonial period, particularly those minted between 1815 and 1915, carry both monetary and archaeological value.
House owner denies any concealment
Alok Soni, the owner of the ancestral property, flatly denied the allegations. He stated that every coin recovered at the site was immediately handed over to the administration. Soni offered a counter-claim, suggesting that some of the labourers themselves may have pocketed a portion of the coins before authorities arrived.
The two conflicting accounts have placed the investigation at the centre of a dispute between the property owner and the workers.
Police and administration move in
After receiving information about the discovery, police team led by Kotwali Station In-charge Manish Kumar reached the site. The Tehsildar and other revenue officials also arrived at the location. Construction work was immediately stopped. Entire site was placed under administrative supervision.
What the law says
Under the Treasure Trove Act, 1878, any person who finds treasure valued at more than ten rupees buried in ground is legally required to report it to nearest Collector without delay.
The law defines treasure as anything of value found hidden in ground or any other location where the original owner is unknown. Silver coins and similar metal valuables are explicitly covered under this definition.
Failure to report such a find is a criminal offence under the Act. Anyone found to have concealed coins or other valuables recovered from the ground can face prosecution.
Seized antiquities are handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India or the relevant state archaeology department for evaluation and custody.
Archaeology department to examine coins
The 42 silver coins currently in police and administrative custody are expected to be sent for a detailed examination by the Archaeology Department.
Coins minted between 1815 and 1915 span reigns of multiple British monarchs, including George III, William IV, Victoria, Edward VII, George V Each period saw distinct coin designs and minting standards in British India.