Vijayanagara Empire | Gold Bele

This solid gold coin, known as a bele (often called a pagoda in later numismatic literature), was issued by the Vijayanagara Empire between the 14th and 17th centuries, with production centred on the imperial capital at Hampi. Struck to an extraordinarily small and precise weight standard, the bele is widely regarded as the smallest gold coin ever regularly issued.

The obverse typically depicts Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu associated with royal protection and cosmic order, while the reverse shows a standing deity—most often Vishnu—in a compact, highly stylised form adapted to the coin’s minute size. Vijayanagara deliberately preserved conservative designs across reigns, reinforcing religious legitimacy and dynastic continuity rather than advertising individual rulers. Despite their tiny size, these gold beles played an important role in temple endowments, state payments, and long-distance trade across the Indian Ocean. Their consistent gold content, stable weight, and recognisable imagery made them trusted instruments of exchange for centuries, and today they remain a cornerstone of medieval South Indian numismatics.

Ancient Artifacts guarantees the Authenticity of items sold through a three layer system of protection: 

1. Ancient Artifacts exclusively sources artifacts from trusted and reputable antique distributors, many of whom have been selling Artifacts for decades.  
2. Next, the Artifact is inspected by an expert team member, who is professionally trained in counterfeit detection After the artifact passes inspection, the Certificate of Authenticity is signed and the Artifact is packaged. 
3. Finally, Ancient Artifacts gives an additional layer of protection by promising a full refund with no questions asked, in the extremely unlikely event that a counterfeit slips through our vetting process.

The coin you will receive will be of very similar size and quality as the ones shown in the pictures. A High quality coin is guaranteed or your money back! The display case included is openable so that you may easily handle and closely observe the artifact.

In antiquity, gold coinage of this type was frequently stored in temple treasuries, merchant reserves, and private savings, and during periods of political change or conflict it was often buried for protection, creating hoards that were never recovered by their owners. The high purity of the gold allowed these coins to survive centuries underground with little deterioration, preserving weight and detail remarkably well. Most examples known today originate from such hoards uncovered over time, which have been legally recovered, studied, and dispersed through the modern numismatic trade. From there they pass through established dealers and auctions, where they are authenticated, weighed against known standards, and distributed as historical artifacts associated with the Vijayanagara Empire rather than as isolated or accidental finds.