PUNE, Oct 30: It's a rare treat. And a rarer opportunity. For numismatists, the coins on display will make their heart beat faster in excitement. They are in all shapes and sizes. Some were issued by the Mughal emperor -- Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. His name is etched deep in Urdu, Hijri era 971. These vie for attention with second century AD gold coins belonging to the Kushan period. Not to be left out is the euro that will hit the European market on January 1, 1999.For Rs 100, you can dip into a box of square bits of silver and pick one of the oldest coins issued by Mauryan kings in sixth century BC.
If your pocket is fat and you can afford the price, for Rs 30,000 there is a Rs two and a half rupee note bearing the imprint of King George V issued in 1918 for the Government of India. For Rs 12,000 a gold coin belonging to the Kushan period will be all yours.
The ongoing exhibition of coins, stamps, first-day covers and philatelic material, organised by the Numismatic Society of Maharashtra, has on display and for sale a real treasure at the Institution of Engineers, Shivajinagar. ``Karshapans'' and copper ``Dams'' from the Mandu mint speak of Chandragupta Maurya and Akbar. With each little trinket there is an entire era of history attached. There is a small and cute British India paper currency for Rs 1,000 and larger than lifesize one rouble notes that would fit a Godzilla-sized wallet.
Devdutta Angal, secretary of the society, bemoans the absolute disinterest shown by the Government in promoting first-day covers and the rest of philatelic material, along with the couldn't-care-less attitude of schools and educational institutions towards this magnificent aspect of history. But collectors try to strike affordable bargains and magnanimous exchanges at the venue.
Avinash Tamteke of Twentieth Century Coins, Nagpur, has made some good deals but says the inquiries are more than actual buys. ``People need to be informed about this, there is a lot of ignorance,'' says Tamteke, sitting at a counter with plastic containers jingling with coins. For some it is good business for others a lot of information.
Yet another section has as many as 36 medals including the Victoria Cross, the Kaisar-i-Hind and the Russian World War II Anno. German stamps and Polish notes rub corners with Lenin staring sternly out of a 100 rouble note, while wolves and bears make the Belarus currency more interesting than the others. The exhibition is on till November 1 and will include a prize distribution to young hobbyists.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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