In a major diplomatic and cultural gesture, the Smithsonian Institution has returned a collection of 45 gold coins from the Gupta Empire to the Indian government. The coins, dating to the reigns of Samudragupta and Chandragupta II, are known for their high gold purity and artistic depictions of the emperors as poets and warriors.
The coins were identified as having been illegally exported in the early 20th century. This repatriation is seen as a landmark case for heritage law, setting a precedent for the return of numismatic treasures to their countries of origin as part of international ethics agreements.