2018-03-31 Sat

Beautiful, attractive and stunning, there is no vocabulary that can define this magnificent gold Varaha or Pagoda issued by the Badami Chalukyas.

The main attraction of this coin is the insignia of this dynasty, the Varaha or boar depicted on the obverse side facing right surrounded with a floral scroll, a lotus in left with crescent and sun above it. The reverse side of this coin depicts Kannada legend in the centre ‘Sri Sanala Bhoopa’ between one beaded and other beaded-plain lines with floral scroll above and below it.

The Sanala mention in the legend is a village located in the Badami taluks of Karnataka state, Badami was the capital of Chalukya kings between 6th to 8th centuries CE. The script format coincides with the pattern of rulers Vikramaditya II and Kirtivarma II.

The denomination term Varaha also comes from the royal symbol of Chalukya the wild boar called Varaha.

Todywalla Auctions sold this extremely fine and extremely rare gold Pagoda for INR 5, 00,000 in Pune.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auctions