In the recent years several loards of small gold coins popularly known as Ganga Fanams have been added to our numismatic collection. They are mostly available in the Mahanadi river valley. These coins are apparently all alike. They are circular in form but are not in regular circles. On both the sides they have inscriptions evidently incised by means of punches. In most of these coins we have the common symbols of a couchant bull on the obverse and a symbol interpreted as `Sai with numerical figures below it on the reverse. Besides these there are varieties of symbols and some of them bear legends. Some scholars doubt the authenticity of these tiny gold pieces as coins. They are of the view that these were issued either for temple offerings or for dakshina to Brahmins for some religious purpose. The most important hoards of Ganga Fanams have been collected from Athamalik area in Dhenkanal district. Jagatsingpur district and Khaira in Balasore district.