My coin collection

Ratlam one paisa

2012-02-11T00:31:00.000-08:00

Bamgalore, 17 Feb 2012

2012-02-09T01:53:00.000-08:00

Schedule of the

2nd National Numismatic Exhibition - 2012

which will be held on 17th, 18th & 19th February 2012

Series of Events

17th Feb 2012
Entry for Stall Dealers | Mobile Dealers | Exhibitors
@ 08:00 AM

Inauguration by
Shri Kishore Jhunjhunwala
&
Shri Rizwan Razak
@ 10:00 AM

____________________________________________________________
18th Feb 2012
Entry for Stall Dealers | Mobile Dealers | Exhibitors
@ 08:00 AM

_______________________________________________________________
19th Feb 2012
Entry for Stall Dealers | Mobile Dealers | Exhibitors
@ 08:00 AM

Prize Distribution
@ 5.00 PM

Closing Ceremony
@ 7:00 PM
____________________________________________________________
*Entry for Public will be open at 10:00 Am on all the 3 days.

The President Convention Center
The Bell Hotel (3 Star)
#88, Next to City Railway Station,
Opposite to Majestic Bus Station,
Bangalore - 560023

Euro(commemorative): Belgium

2012-01-31T10:07:00.001-08:00

2 Euro, Louis Braille

Louis Braille was from a small town called Coupvray, near Paris—he was born on January 4 in 1809. Louis became blind by accident, when he was 3 years old. Deep in his Dad's harness workshop, Louis tried to be like his Dad, but it went very wrong; he grabbed an awl, a sharp tool for making holes, and the tool slid and hurt his eye. The wound got infected, and the infection spread, and soon, Louis was blind in both eyes.

All of a sudden, Louis needed a new way to learn. He stayed at his old school for two more years, but he couldn't learn everything just by listening. Things were looking up when Louis got a scholarship to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris, when he was 10. But even there, most of the teachers just talked at the students. The library had 14 huge books with raised letters that were very hard to read. Louis was impatient.

Then in 1821, a former soldier named Charles Barbier visited the school. Barbier shared his invention called "night writing," a code of 12 raised dots that let soldiers share top-secret information on the battlefield without even having to speak. Unfortunately, the code was too hard for the soldiers, but not for 12-year-old Louis!

Louis trimmed Barbier's 12 dots into 6, ironed out the system by the time he was 15, then published the first-ever braille book in 1829. But did he stop there? No way! In 1837, he added symbols for math and music. But since the public was skeptical, blind students had to study braille on their own. Even at the Royal Institution, where Louis taught after he graduated, braille wasn't taught until after his death. Braille began to spread worldwide in 1868, when a group of British men, now known as the Royal National Institute for the Blind, took up the cause.

Now practically every country in the world uses braille. Braille books have double-sided pages, which saves a lot of space. Braille signs help blind people get around in public spaces. And, most important, blind people can communicate independently, without needing print.

Louis proved that if you have the motivation, you can do incredible things.

P.S. The three dots to the left of the portrait stand for 'L' in Braille script, and the two dots on the right stand for 'B' in Braille. So combining them we get L.B. , the initials for Louis Braille.

2 Euro, EMU

On the completion of 10 years of the EMU or the European Monetary Union, commemorative 2 Euro coins were released in every country affiliated with the EMU showing the EMU symbol(person outline with Euro symbol), and the above coin was issued by Belgium government commemorating 10 years of the EMU.

Euro: Belgium

2012-01-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

Belgium 1 euro, 1999

Belgium 2 Euro, 2004

Prince Albert II of Belgium

Albert II (born 6 June 1934) is the King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He is the uncle of the current reigning Grand Duke of Luxembourg,

George VI half silver coins

2012-01-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

George VI quarter rupee, 1942

Weight: 2.92gm

George VI half rupee, 1944

Weight: 5.83gm

George VI one rupee,1941

Weight: 11.66gm
silver content: 50%(for all of above 3 coins)
Diameter: 30.5mm

The above shown coins are all minted in half silver, but many sellers pass them off as full silver only. It may be noted that coins having 90% silver were minted in 1938 and 1939 in the George VI series, after that the silver content was lowered to 50%. At the same time, the 1939 rupee was made of 50% silver only.

Udaipur coppers

2012-01-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Udaipur quarter anna

Date: 1999 VS=1942 AD

Udaipur half anna

Date: 1999 VS=1942 AD

Udaipur one anna

Date: 2000 VS=1943 AD

Udaipur kingdom/princely state (also called Mewar) is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later became a princely state under the British. It was ruled by the Chattari rajputs of Mori Guhilot Parihar and Sisodia dynasties for over 1,400 years.

The legend on obverse reads "chitrakoot Udaipur" and the legend on reverse reads "Dosti Landhan" which means friends of London, as these were struck when Udaipur was a princely state under allegiance to the British rule, and below that we have the date in VS.

The above coins were minted during the reign of Maharana Bhupal Singh of Mewar:

Maharana Bhupal Singh

Maharana Bhupal Singh who succeeded Fateh Singh formally ascended the gaddi in 1930 had been exercising power since 1921 as a result of British intervention. Maharana Bhupal Singh as the ruler of Mewar guided its destiny through India’s most momentous period, the Independence from British Imperial rule With a vision to lead in an age of turbulence. Like Rana Pratap’s heroic defence against the Mughals, Maharana Bhupal Singh’s vision was born out of a deep sense of patriotism and pride in upholding the core values of Suryavanshi Kings.The Maharana’s personal courage at all times exemplified the triumph of the human spirit as he was leading while still Confined to a wheelchair with a crippling spinal disorder.

He was aware of the dynamic social changes sweeping across the country and encouraged the orderly growth of social and political movements. Like his famous ancestors who introduced reforms in the field of education, the Maharana established the Rana Pratap Hindi University at Chittor and an Agricultural College at Udaipur. Schools, especially for girls, were set up. He reformed the judicial powers in his state. He also paid a lot of attention to irrigation works and began the construction of the Bhupal Singh Dam. By 1935, he had set up fifteen dispensaries in various parts of his town. He reformed the local coinage also.

He was also a committed environmentalist, organising long-term afforestation programmes for the Aravalli Hills. Sustained industrial activity made the Mewar economy more vibrant in his reign. The modern exploitation of the long known and famous Zawar mines rich with their zinc, silver and lead content began during his reign. With Independence, came Maharana Bhupal Singh’s finest hour. The ruler, who stood to lose the entire governance of his kingdom, became the first State to merge with the indian Union. His historic words echoed the glory of Rana Sanga and Rana Pratap: “Today is a day of which to be greatly proud. India is independent. It brings to fulfilment the 1500 years’ struggle and endeavour of my forefathers. It becomes my holy duty, on behalf of my ancestors, to hand over to the leaders of free India, this cherished and sacred Flame of Freedom to the country as a whole.”

Maharana Bhupal Singh, acting honourably as the Diwan of Eklingji, served the interests and welfare of his people even though it spelt the end of Mewar’s sovereignty, which began with Guhaditya and was proudly defended for 1500 years. The grateful Government of India nominated him as “Maharaj Pramukh”, the only title of its kind in whole of India .

150 years of income tax bookings

2012-01-02T18:10:00.000-08:00

Advertisement in Times of India

One of the long awaited bookings, for the 150 years of income tax has opened so all those looking to buy a 150 rupee coin can now do their bookings. Only the bookings for Brihadeshwara temple is remaining now, which everyone is waiting for.

C. Subramaniam booking

2011-12-31T20:32:00.001-08:00

C. Subramaniam coin sets may be booked at this link: http://mumbaimint.in/coinbooking.aspx .

Why attend exhibitions?

2011-12-28T01:59:00.000-08:00

I decided to put this one as a separate article as I am putting details of a number of exhibitions in this space. This is particularly for collectors who have never been to an exhibition, even though they may be collecting for some time.

If you are not having any good dealer in your city then exhibitions can be good way to enhance your collection. Dealers from all over India come to sell their coins in National level exhibitions under one roof. So you can get most of the coins you want in a single day. There are large variety of coins to choose from, more than what you can buy. Even if you are generally busy in your work you can still take out at least 1 day in an year and buy what you want for the entire year in that time. You can keep a budget of 15-20k whenever you visit an exhibition. Exhibitions are held many times an year at different cities throughout the country so you can also choose the location which suits you. You may visit as many exhibitions as you want throughout the year, and I would recommend visiting at least one in an year. If you are going for the first time, I would suggest to refrain from heavy buying and to observe as much as you can to learn.

Warning:
Even in an exhibition fakes can be there and there are sellers who look to fleece any new and unsuspecting buyers by selling at high prices, so better to keep your eyes and ears open.

Hyderabad mint bookings 2011

2011-12-24T19:32:00.000-08:00

Hyderabad mint 2011 bookings

Mint bookings have opened with the Hyderabad mint for the coins of the Commonwealth games, Louis Braille, Rajendra Prasad, Brihadeshwara temple, mother Teresa, C Subramaniam, Rajendra Prasad, shaheed Bhagat Singh, income Tax and Gur-ta-gaddi in the denominations of 2,5 and 10rs. Bookings will be open until the end of February so there is lot of time to book your coins. Although most of these are available in circulation or can be bought for 15-20rs from your local dealer(without mint packing).

I don't feel any need to book most of these so didn't post this information immediately as it came. Though it should be noted that Bhagat Singh and Gur-ta-gaddi didn't come in circulation so you can book those if you want to. Keep in mind that you can currently get Gur-ta-gaddi from market for 300 rupees or so, so no need to book that one also you can buy that from market straightaway and not have to wait for the mint delivery. So we are only left with Bhagat Singh which may be booked.

Personally I wont book Bhagat Singh also but will buy from my dealer as it comes into the market. These days the mints are selling sub-standard material at exorbitant prices, why be dependent on them.

Euro: Portugal

2011-12-20T19:03:00.000-08:00

Portugal 1 Euro, 2002

2 Euro, 2002

The Portuguese euro coins show seven castles and five coat of arms surrounding the royal seal of 1144.

Euro: France cents

2011-12-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

France 1 cent, 2007

2 cent, 2007

5 cent, 2004

Marianne is a national emblem of France and represents Liberty and Reason. Marianne is displayed in many places in France and holds a place of honour in town halls and law courts. She symbolises the "Triumph of the Republic", a bronze sculpture overlooking the Place de la Nation in Paris. The origins of Marianne, depicted by artist Honoré Daumier, in 1848, as a mother nursing two children, Romulus and Remus, or by sculptor François Rude, during the July Monarchy, as an angry warrior voicing the Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe, are uncertain. In any case, she has become a symbol in France: considered as a personification of the Republic, she was often used on republican iconography — and heavily caricatured and reviled by those against the republic.

apart from the Euro cents, Marianne also features on postage stamps as well as the former franc currency in parallel with the rooster, which is also a national symbol of France.

10 cent, 1999

The higher denomination French cents show the waling Liberty, which is a prominent symbol of France and has also been a constant feature on the erstwhile Francs. Liberty is often mistaken with Marianne even though she is represented as a classical goddess. Modestly attired, and now wearing a crown of seven rays, Liberty still appears on the French Seal of State seated and holding a fasces in her right hand.

Euro: France

2011-11-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

France 1 Euro, 2000

2 Euro, 2001

The French euro coins show a stylized tree drawn by artist Joaquim Jiminez, symbolizing life, continuity and growth. It is contained in a hexagon and is surrounded by the motto of the Republic "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" or "Liberty,equality, fraternity.

2 Euro, Treaty of Rome

The Treaty of Rome, officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, was an international agreement that led to the founding of the European Economic Community on 1 January 1958. It was signed on 25 March 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany.

In 1951, the Treaty of Paris was signed, creating the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The Treaty of Paris was an international treaty based on international law, designed to help reconstruct the economies of the European continent, prevent war in Europe and ensure a lasting peace.

The original idea was conceived by Jean Monnet, a senior French civil servant and it was announced by Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister, in a declaration on 9 May 1950. The aim was to pool Franco-German coal and steel production, as these two raw materials were the basis of the industry (including war industry) and power of the two countries. The proposed plan was that Franco-German coal and steel production would be placed under a common High Authority within the framework of an organisation that would be open for participation to other European countries. The underlying political objective of the European Coal and Steel Community was to strengthen Franco-German cooperation and banish the possibility of war.

France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands began negotiating the treaty. The Treaty establishing the ECSC was signed in Paris on 18 April 1951 and entered into force on 24 July 1952. The Treaty expired on 23 July 2002, after fifty years, as was foreseen.

Euro: Netherland cents

2011-11-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Netherlands 5 cent, 1999

10 cent, 1999

Featured on the Netherland Euro coins is queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University. In 1966, she married Claus Von Amsberg, with whom she had three children: Prince Willem-Alexander (born 1967), Prince Friso (born 1968), and Prince Constantijn (born 1969). When her mother Juliana abdicated on 30 April 1980, Beatrix succeeded her as Queen of the Netherlands.

Kolkata, 23 Dec 2011

2011-11-18T17:49:00.000-08:00

Event: MUDRA UTSAV

Numismatic Society of Calcutta
Inauguration - 22nd Dec 2011
Exhibition: 23rd , 24th & 25th Dec 2011
10:00 Am to 6:00 PM

Venue:-
Haldiram Banquet Hall,
24, Ballygunj,
Kolkata - 700019

Euro: Austria

2011-11-09T01:40:00.000-08:00

1 Euro, 2008

Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers.

Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood in Salzburg. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position, always composing abundantly. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of Mozart's death.

Mozart learned voraciously from others, and developed a brilliance and maturity of style that encompassed the light and graceful along with the dark and passionate. His influence on subsequent Western art music is profound. Beethoven wrote his own early compositions in the shadow of Mozart, and Joseph Haydn wrote that "posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years."

2 Euro, 2002

Bertha Von Suttner

Baroness Bertha Felicie Sophie von Suttner (June 9, 1843-June 21, 1914), born Countess Kinsky in Prague. Raised by her mother under the aegis of a guardian who was a member of the Austrian court, she was the product of an aristocratic society whose militaristic traditions she accepted without question for the first half of her life and vigorously opposed for the last half.

In 1876, she had a brief stint as Alfred Nobel's secretary and also got married to Baron Arthur Gundaccar von Suttner, though her marriage was opposed by her family. In 1885, welcomed by the Baron's now relenting family, the Suttners returned to Austria where Bertha von Suttner wrote most of her books, including her many novels.In 1889 the core of her works shifted from purely literary to peace oriented and she strongly criticized armament.

In 1891 she helped form a Venetian peace group, initiated the Austrian Peace Society of which she was for a long time the president, attended her first international peace congress, and started the fund needed to establish the Bern Peace Bureau.

She was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1905 for her efforts.She contributed lectures, articles, and interviews to the International Club set up at the 1907 Hague Peace Conference to promote the movement's objectives among the Conference delegates and the general public; she spoke at the 1908 Peace Congress in London; and she repeated again and again that "Europe is one" and that uniting it was the only way to prevent the world catastrophe which seemed to be coming.

Her last major effort, made in 1912 when she was almost seventy, was a second lecture tour in the United States, the first having followed her attending the International Peace Congress of 1904 in Boston.

In accordance with her wishes, she was cremated at Gotha and her ashes left there in the columbarium. The war and its immediate aftermath put an end not only to the plans of the peace movement for the congress in Vienna but to its plans for a monument to Bertha von Suttner.

Indore, 12 Nov 2011

2011-11-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

Date: November 12 - November 14
Time: 10:30 am - 7:00 pm
Location: Basket-Ball Complex,
Race Course Road,
Indore, India

Jamshedpur, 21 Jan 2012

2011-11-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

Coins Exhibition Jamshedpur
Jamcoin to be held in January 2012, in Jamshedpur, from 21st to 23rd Jan 2012 in Tulsi Bhawan (Near Gopal Maidan)
Please Contact:-
Mr. Kaushik Roy - 09771937544,
Mr. P. Babu Rao - 9431372214,
Mr. Satyajit Roy - 9204381666.

Coins Collectors Club,
An Amateur Numismatic Society,
Club House No. G 4/138,
Straight Mile Road, Sakchi,
Jamshedpur 831001, Jharkhand, India.
Registration under Societies act - 21 of 1860,
Registration no. 281/2011 - 2012, Jharkhand.

Euro: Austria cents

2011-10-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

5 cent, 2008

The 5 cent coin shows some primroses, a flower which is found in the Austrian Alps. The Austrian government is trying to fulfill its duty towards the environment and this symbolizes the development of a community environment policy.

10 cent, 2008

St. Stephens cathedral, Vienna

The St. Stephen's Cathedral which is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP. Its current Romanesque and Gothic form seen today, situated at the heart of Vienna, Austria in the Stephansplatz, was largely initiated by Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first being a parish church consecrated in 1147. As the most important religious building in Austria's capital, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in that nation's history and has, with its multi-colored tile roof, become one of the city's most recognizable symbols and it is also featured on the 10 cent coin of Austria.

20 cent, 2002

The 20 cent shows the Belvedere palace on the reverse.

Belvedere palace, Vienna

The Belvedere is a historical building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces the Upper and Lower Belvedere, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the 3rd district of the city, south-east of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds are set on a gentle gradient and include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and majestic wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.

The Belvedere was built during a period of extensive constructions in Vienna, which at the time was both the imperial capital and home to the ruling dynasty. This period of prosperity followed on from the commander-in-chief Prince Eugene of Savoy's successful conclusion of a series of wars against the Ottoman Empire.

50 cent, 2007

The Secession building is an exhibition hall built in 1897 by Joseph Maria Olbrich as an architectural manifesto for the Vienna Secession, located in Vienna, Austria. Secession refers to the seceding of a group of rebel artists from the long-established fine art institution.

The building features the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt, one of the most widely recognized artworks of Secession style . The building was financed by Karl Wittgenstein, the father of Ludwig Wittgenstein.

The motto of the Secessionist movement is written above the entrance of the pavilion: "To every age its art, to art its freedom" (German: Der Zeit ihre Kunst. Der Kunst ihre Freiheit).

Secession building, Vienna

Tanzania senti

2011-10-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

Tanzania 10 senti, 1977

Weight: 5gm
Metal: nickel-brass
Diameter: 25mm
Obverse: J.K. Nyerere
Reverse: Zebra running
(Coin is little worn out so you cant see the stripes)
shape: scalloped
Designer: Christopher ironside

Mumbai, 22 Oct 2011

2011-10-11T04:02:00.000-07:00

Next exhibition details:

Date: 22-24 Oct
Time: 8 AM to 8 PM
Venue: Lohana majan wadi 2&3 floor, S.V. road Kandiwali (West) - 400067

Tanzania Shilingi

2011-10-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

Tanzania 1 shilingi, 1983

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 27.5mm
Obverse: Head of president J.K. Nyrere
Reverse: torch in hand
Designer: Christopher Ironside

Tanzania 10 Shilingi, 1991

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 29mm
Reverse: national arms
Designer: Philip Nathan

Tanzania coat of arms

The coat of arms of Tanzania comprises a warrior’s shield which bears a golden portion on the upper part followed underneath by the flag of Tanzania.

The golden portion represents minerals in the United Republic; the red portion underneath the flag symbolizes the rich fertile soil of Africa; while the wavy bands represent the land, sea, lakes and coastal lines of the United Republic.

In the golden part of the flag there appears a burning torch signifying freedom (UHURU), enlightenment and knowledge; a spear signifying defence of freedom and crossed axe and hoe being tools that the people of the Tanzania use in developing the country.

The shield stands upon the representation of Mount Kilimanjaro. Elephant tusks are supported by a man and a woman, with a clove bush at the feet of the man and a cotton bush at the feet of the woman indicating the theme of co-operation.

The United Republic motto – Uhuru na Umoja – is written in Swahili and means "Freedom and Unity".

20 shilingi, 1992

Weight: 13gm
Metal: Nickel bonded steel
Diameter: 31mm
Obverse: President Mwinyi flanked by flowers
Reverse: elephant with calf
Shape: 7 sided

50 shilingi, 1996

Metal: brass plated steel
Obverse: president Mwinyi
Reverse: Rhino with calf
Designer: Philip Nathan

100 shilingi, 1994

Metal: brass plated steel
Obverse: head of Nyerere
Reverse: Impalas running

200 shilingi, 1998

Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Obverse: Head of Sheikh Karume
Obverse: two lions

Chennai, Oct 14 2011

2011-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Next exhibition details:

Date: October 14-16
Venue:Chennai National Numismatic Exhibition 2011
Adress: Chennai Numismatic Society with Numismatic Promotion Service
of India at Arignar Anna Arangam Hall, 14/29 Dr. Guruswamy
Road, Next to Maharishi Vidya Mandir School, Chetpet
Phone: 09840424344, 09710040000

New Zealand cents

2011-09-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

New Zealand 10 cent, 1987

A Maori mask is shown on the 10 cent coin of New Zealand.

20 cent, 1989

Kiwi

The 20 cent coin shows the Kiwi, the national bird of New Zealand. This association is so strong that the word 'Kiwi' is used as equivalent of any New Zealand citizen throughout the world.

The kiwis are flightless ratites who lay very large eggs in proportion to their body size. There are five different recognized species all of which are endangered. The kiwi is endangered like many other species due to habitat loss. Forests have been lost throughout the centuries but recently the loss has become more rapid, putting pressure on the flightless bird for survival.

50 cent, 1982

Endeavour HMS

The 50 cent coin features the HMS Endeavour which was a British Royal Navy research vessel commanded by Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage of discovery, to Australia and New Zealand from 1769 to 1771.

Launched in 1764 as the collier Earl of Pembroke, she was purchased by the Navy in 1768 for a scientific mission to the Pacific Ocean, and to explore the seas for the surmised Terra Australis Incognita or "unknown southern land". She departed Plymouth in August 1768, rounded Cape Horn, and reached Tahiti in time to observe the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun. She then set sail into the largely uncharted ocean to the south, stopping at the Pacific islands of Huahine, Borabora, and Raiatea to allow Cook to claim them for Great Britain. In September 1769, she anchored off New Zealand, the first European vessel to reach the islands since Abel Tasman's Heemskerck 127 years earlier. In April 1770, Endeavour became the first seagoing vessel to reach the east coast of Australia, when Cook went ashore at what is now known as Botany Bay.

Endeavour then sailed north along the Australian coast. She narrowly avoided disaster after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef, and was beached on the mainland for seven weeks to permit rudimentary repairs to her hull. On 10 October 1770, she limped into port in Batavia (now named Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies for more substantial repairs, her crew sworn to secrecy about the lands they had discovered. She resumed her westward journey on 26 December, rounded the Cape of Good Hope on 13 March 1771, and reached the English port of Dover on 12 July, having been at sea for nearly three years.

Largely forgotten after her epic voyage, Endeavour spent the next three years shipping Navy stores to the Falkland Islands. Renamed and sold into private hands in 1775, she briefly returned to naval service as a troop transport during the American Revolutionary War and was scuttled in a blockade of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island in 1778. Her wreck has not been precisely located, but relics, including six of her cannons and an anchor, are displayed at maritime museums worldwide. A replica of Endeavour was launched in 1994 and is berthed alongside the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney Harbour. The space shuttle Endeavour is named for the original ship.

Mumbai, Sept 23 2011

2011-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Details for next exhibition:
Date: September 23 - September 25
Time: 10 am - 7pm
Location: World trade centre
City: Mumbai

On demand I am henceforth putting up notifications for the upcoming exhibitions for those who want to attend.

Why attend exhibitions?
If you are not having any good dealer in your city then exhibitions can be good way to enhance your collection. Dealers from all over India come to sell their coins in National level exhibitions under one roof. So you can get most of the coins you want in a single day. There are large variety of coins to choose from, more than what you can buy. Even if you are generally busy in your work you can still take out at least 1 in an year and buy what you want for the entire year in that time. You can keep a budget of 15-20k whenever you visit an exhibition. Exhibitions are held many times an year at different cities throughout the country so you can also choose the location which suits you. You may visit as many exhibitions as you want throughout the year, though I would recommend visiting at least one in an year. If you are going for the first time, I would suggest to refrain from heavy buying and to observe as much as you can to learn.

Warning:
Even in an exhibition fakes can be there and there are sellers who look to fleece any new and unsuspecting buyers by selling at high prices, so better to keep your eyes and ears open.

How bimetallic coins are made?

2011-09-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

Note that the shown process is for the Euro bimetallic coins. The process for making our 10 rupee bimetallic coins may be somewhat different from the shown procedure.

Turkey Kuru

2011-09-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

5 new Kurus, 2008
Weight: 2.95gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter: 17.1mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk

25 new kurus, 2007

Weight: 5.3gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter:21.5mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk facing

50 new Kurus, 2005

Weight: 7gm
Metal: Bimetallic copper-nickel-zinc centre in nickel-bronze ring
Diameter: 23.8mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk

Note that in 2005, 100 thousand old Lira became equivalent of 1 new Lira. This was done due to rampant inflation and to give the nearly valueless currency some worth. Also, 100 Kurus= 1 Lira so 1 new Kuru=1000 old Lira.

Turkey Lira

2011-08-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

Turkey 10 Lira, 1985

Weight: 2.3gm
Metal: Aluminium
Diameter: 23mm

Turkey 50 Lira, 1986

Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter: 26.8mm

Turkey 2500 Lira, 1992

Metal: nickel-bronze
Diameter: 26.5mm

Turkey 10 bin Lira, 1996

Weight: 9.75gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter: 23.5mm
Note: 10 Bin Lira means 10,000 Lira
Featured on the above coins is the head of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey

Turkey 100,000 Lira, 2000

This coin was released to mark the 75th anniversary of the Turkish republic. Shown on the obverse is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey.

Atatürk was a military officer during World War I. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, he led the Turkish national movement in the Turkish War of Independence. Having established a provisional government in Ankara, he defeated the forces sent by the Allies. His military campaigns gained Turkey independence. Atatürk then embarked upon a program of political, economic, and cultural reforms, seeking to transform the former Ottoman Empire into a modern, westernized and secular nation-state.

Euro: Finland cents

2011-08-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Finland 5 cent, 2001

Finland 10 cent, 1999

Finland 20 cent, 2002

Finland 50 cent, 2000

It is noteworthy that the Finland 1 cent and 2 cent were discontinued from mintage a few years back, so they are now scarce and sell for a couple of euros in Finland itself.

Finland coat of arms

The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580.

When John III assumed the title of "Grand Duke of Finland and Karelia", soon shortened to Grand Duke of Finland in 1577 (or soon thereafter), the lion became closely associated with Finland through the grand-ducal coats of arms . The grand-ducal coat of arms is thought to have resulted out of a combination of the Göta lion (originating from the Folkunga lion) and the arms of Karelia. The result was that the lion brandishes one weapon and treads on another.

Rabindranath Tagore proof set Rebooking

2011-08-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Rabindranath Tagore proof set re-booking

Yet another re-booking. They are also increasing the booking rates quite sharply every 3-4 months, and doesn't look like justified to me. This is the third or fourth time Tagore sets have been released for booking, and a 5 rupee single proof coin is also available for booking. Don't know about you but I am rapidly losing interest in proof sets. The rates are shooting up which isn't justified as per me, and the coin quality is going down. The booking will be open from 16.8.2011 to 20.9.2011.

Check this link if you want to do booking: http://igmkolkata.spmcil.com/SPMCIL/Interface/Home.aspx

The coin collector's wife

2011-08-12T16:32:00.000-07:00

Dedicated to All Coin Collectors' Wives
Author Unknown.

Here are two lines that you have all heard before, I think, from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge:

"Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
Shipwrecked people shout it, as they drift upon the sea,"

It sure is bad, but the saddest cry I've heard in my whole life
Is the one you hear, when you lend and ear, to the Coin Collector's Wife.

Money, money everywhere, but not a pice to spend;
If this keeps up, our marriage is coming to an end.
Money in every dresser drawer and money on the shelf;
But there isn't one thin pice to spend upon myself.
Silver rupees and nickel rupees , and golden fivers, too!
Some of them are old and worn, and some of them are new.
I wish my husband cared as much about the way I look. . . .
The paycheck that he gets doesn't seem to mean a thing to me,
'Cause hubby needs a Land Vital two rupee.
As soon as he gets the coin, he'll be looking for some other;
I think I'd be better off if I went on home to mother.
One day in desperation, I took a rupee two;
His yell can shatter the heavens, I tell you that is true!
Another time I took a coin that he said was a "proof;"
When I told him I spent it, I thought he'd raise the roof!
With all that money 'round the house, we're really very poor;
I'm getting sick and tired of it, of that I'm really sure!
So, I advise you, single girls, if you want a happy life;
Don't marry a coin collector and be a Coin Collector's Wife,
Shouting, "Money money everywhere and not a pice to spend;"
Don't ever let a coin collector be more than just a friend.

P.S. The poem was written by some collector in the U.S. ; and I modified it in the Indian context. Like, using rupees instead of dollars and pice in place of dime. BTW, I think your wives will like this one.
:P

Euro: Finland

2011-08-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Finland 1 Euro

Whooper swans in flight

The Finland 1 euro coin shows two whooper swans in flight. The whooper swan is a large North Hemispheric swan which requires large areas of water to live in. Since they have high body weight and frail legs, they cannot walk or stand for long durations. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom. No wonder it is found in abundance in Finland, the land of 55,000 lakes, and it also happens to be the national bird of Finland.

Finland 2 Euro

Cloudberry

The Finland 2 Euro coin shows the cloudberry on the reverse. Cloudberry is also called bakeapple, knotberry, averin and evron; and is a rhizomatous herb native to alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest. It is red when unripe and amber-orange when ripe. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, it is made into jams, juices tarts and liquors.

Russia 10 rouble - IV

2011-08-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Russia 10 Rouble, Ministry of Education

The shown symbol is a branch of leaves in a book, which symbolizes the Ministry of education of Russia. The legend reads Ministry of Education.

Russia 10 Rouble, 60 years of world war II

The second world war, fought from 1941-1945 between the Axis powers and the Allied powers, is one which caused the maximum suffering, losses and devastation throughout the world. When we think of the second world war, we think of Hitler and the concentration camps, of Japan and the nuclear bombs, but we often tend to forget the untold suffering and devastation left in the wake of the world war. People continue to lose their lives to this day because of land mines spread throughout the countryside. The figure on this coin is a star shaped monument with fire at its centre, and the circumscribing legend reads: "NO ONE IS FORGOTTEN". So this is a tribute to the soldiers who died fighting for Russia/U.S.S.R. in the epic war.

Russia 10 Rouble - III

2011-07-28T10:55:00.001-07:00

Russia 10 rouble, Republic Altay

Altay republic is a federal subject of Russian Federation, part of Siberian Federal District. The administrative center is Gorno-Altaisk city. The republic is located in the Asia center. The nature of Altay republic is a combination of Altay mountains, Siberian taiga, Kazakhstan steppes and Mongolia semi-deserts.

Altay Republic has the population of 207,000 (2008)and the land area of the region is 92,600 sq. km.

First people inhabited the Altay valleys about 1.5 million years ago. Such is the supposed age of world-known Ulalinskaya site discovered in Gorno-Altaysk. In 8th-3rd centuries B.C. Altay region was inhabited by Skyphs-Pazyrykts - the founders of Altay animal style. Hun-Sarmat period in the history of the region began at the end of 3rd century B.C. From 6th century B.C. descendants of Huns, ancestors of Altays - Turkic people became the rulers of Central Asia.

Soviet power in the region was established by the end of 1919. On June 1st 1922 the Oyrot autonomous region was formed as a part of Altay krai, it was renamed Gorno (Mountainous)-Alatisky autonomous region on January 7th, 1948; from October 25th, 1990 it became Gorno-Alatiskaya ASSR, from July 3rd, 1991 - Gorno-Alatiskaya SSR, from May 1992 - the Republic of Gorny Altay, since December 12th, 1993 - the Republic of Altay.

Altay republic coat of arms

Russia 10 rouble, Republic of Adigeya

The republic of Adigeya is a federal subject of Russia enclaved within Krasnodar Krai. Its area is 7600 sq.Km and the population is 44,000 as in 2010. Its capital is Maykop.

Republic of Adigeya coat of arms

Russia 10 Rouble - II

2011-07-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

10 Rouble, Rostov oblast

This one is released for the Rostov oblast, where an oblast can have the same connotation as an area, zone, province or region. Pictured here is the Rostov oblast coat of arms.

Rostov oblast coat of arms

10 Rouble, Archangel Oblast

The legend below the figure reads "Arkhangelsk oblast", which translates to archangel oblast in English. An Oblast is an administrative division of Russia and the word can also be used in the same sense as a region. Arkhangelsk oblast lies to the North-Western side of Russia. The city of Arkhangelsk is apparently so named after the archangel Michael who is the guardian of the city.

Archangel Oblast coat of arms

Archangel Michael slaying the devil by Raphael

Russia 10 Rouble - I

2011-07-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

10 Rouble, 1992
Weight: 3.65 gm
Metal: copper nickel
Diameter: 21.1mm
Obverse: double headed eagle
Obverse legend: Bank Russia

Russia Rouble - III

2011-07-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

100 rouble, 1992
Weight: 6gm
Metal: copper nickel centre with aluminium bronze ring
Diameter: 25.3mm

20 rouble, 1992

Weight: 5.6gm
Metal: copper nickel
Diameter: 24.1mm

Russian coat of arms

The current coat of arms of Russia traces its roots back to medieval Russia, with the coat having undergone changes many times since its inception in the times of Ivan the great in the 15th century, and the origins of the eagle can be traced back to Peter the great in the 17th century, although the original colour of the eagle was black as opposed to the golden colour shown in this picture.

The double headed eagle was adopted by Ivan as his emblem after his marriage to the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologue in 1472. The double headed eagle was the national symbol of Byzantine and Sophia's uncle Constantine happened to be the last Byzantine emperor.

The modern arms were instated by a presidential decree in 1993, and later on by a federal law signed by Vladimir Putin in 2000.

Russia Rouble - II

2011-07-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

5 rouble, 1996
Metal: copper nickel clad copper
Diameter: 25mm

5 rouble, 1992

Weight: 4.05gm
Metal: brass clad steel
Diameter: 21.9mm

Is Land vital resource bogus?

2011-07-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

For those not keyed in, the above coin(picture taken from the internet) is supposed to be one of the rarest coins of Republic India, with an estimated mintage of 400, with the number of confirmed existing pieces numbering below 50. It was also considered one of the best investments in terms of the return as the rate of this one shot up from 500 to 2 lakh in a period of two decades.

However, in a recent turn of events, an RTI was filed regarding the minting of this one on the part of the government. And the reply was, in a word, a shocker.A recent RTI dated 4.4.2011 filed by a collector from delhi with finance ministry, under Q.no 6&7 asked specifically the denomination, the yearof issue, the name of the mintand the total quantity minted of the commemorative coin- LAND VITAL RESOURCE,and available for sale to general public? THE REPLYTO THIS QUESTION BY UNDER SECRETARY (CY.11) & CPIO Mr SUSHIL KUMAR UNDER FILE No.12/14/2011-COIN IS THAT NO COMMEMORATIVE COIN HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE ABOVE THEME!!

So, where does this leave those who have bought this one at such exorbitant rates? And where do those go who were planning to buy this one? And most importantly, does this reduce a known collector's item to just a piece of metal?

As far as I am concerned, I was at one point thinking of buying this one but ultimately had to forsake my ambitions because of the sky high rates which would not have burned a hole in my pocket, rather they would have burned a borewell and there would be nothing left of my pocket. I am not concerned in the least about the fate of this one since I am not having it. But since this one was not released for circulation but only in sets to be distributed among some dignitaries, do we have to spend such a high amount on such coins?

Please note it is crime under indian penal code 232 to hold this coin as govt/mint denied this coin is official issue (Whoever counterfeits, or knowingly performs any part of the process of counterfeiting 1[Indian coin], shall be punished with 2[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extent to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.)

Now this takes an interesting turn as the Kolkata mint site shows that it has minted the Land Vital resource 2 rupees: http://www.igmint.org/prod.htm . But this is in contradiction with the reply of the RTI. So what can we conclude from the known data? Did the finance ministry make a mistake? Or is the Kolkata mint giving blatant false information? Whatever the case may be, at least I will stay clear of this coin even if I can afford it. I would rather buy 100-200 good valuable varieties for my collection with the same money for which this coin is selling for.

Russia Rouble - I

2011-07-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

2 Rouble, 2007
Weight: 5.1gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
size: 23mm

1 Rouble, 2007

Weight: 3.25gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter: 20.6mm

1 Rouble, 1992

Weight: 3.25gm
Metal: brass clad steel
Diameter: 19.5mm

And now, a degree in Numismatics !

2011-07-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

MASTER OF COINS

NUMISMATICS IS AN UPCOMING FIELD FOR RESEARCH IN INDIAN HISTORY AND THERE IS HUGE BURGEONING MARKET IN TRADING OF INDIAN COINS BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

All those who collect coins know it quite well that the hobby is good, but most of the time parenst or friends do not approve as they think its a waste of time and money. Well, now we are having a formal course for numismatics which can help you to study coin history and also can be used as a stepping stone to make a career in numismatics.

The University of Mumbai conducts the MA (Numismatics & Archaeology) programme through the Dinesh Mody Institute of Numismatics & Archaeology (DMINA) with three batches of numismatists out in the field. The two-year program is conducted on the premises of the institute along with the Dinesh Mody Numismatic Museum, which was established by Dinesh Mody, a senior Mumbai based advocate and eminent numismatist with large collections of Indian and world coins.

“Numismatics is an upcoming field for research in Indian history and there is huge burgeoning market in trading of Indian coins both nationally and internationally. Thus, the students can expect to be absorbed by the increasing number of auction houses for coins as resource persons and by the numerous museums both in India and abroad that require expert numismatists to catalogue their collections of Indian coins. Additionally, students can pursue their doctorates in the field to churn out original research content in this yet unexplored system of historiography,” says Mahesh Kalra, Assistant Director and Curator, DMINA.

The syllabus of the course ambitiously covers the entire gamut of Indian coinage right from the ancient Punchmarked coins of the pre-Buddhist era (8th-6th century BC) to coins of various Indian dynasties like Guptas, Kushans, Satavahanas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara empire, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals and the British till the latest coins minted by the Republic of India covering the history of a period of 2500 years! In addition, the students are encouraged to learn numerous scripts ranging from the oldest Indian scripts, Ashokan Brahmi and Kharosthi to Nagari (the precursor of Devanagari) to Greek, Arabic and Persian as Indian coins are inscribed in these indigenous and foreign scripts. Lastly, the students are instructed about the basics of Archaeology, its methodology and various findings to give them an idea of how the various coin hoards are discovered during archaeological excavations conducted throughout the country.

The in-house museum and the institute, spread over a sprawling 15,000 sq. ft. area, are located at the Saroj Sadan in the heart of the Kalina campus of University of Mumbai.

The course also opens avenues for a host of foreign scholarships at foreign institutions with collections of Indian coins such as the British Museum, Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge University), Ashmolean Museum (Oxford University), among others.

I would say that the world is slowly but surely waking up to the juggernaut of numismatics. Anyone can close their eyes and say that only you can be stupid enough to buy 2 rs in 2000rs, but the potential of collection, investment or research in this field is enormous, and nobody can manage to stay in the dark if the sun is shining brightly.

Russia Kopek

2011-06-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Saint George slaying the dragon

10 Kopek, 2003

Metal: Brass
Reverse: St. George

50 kopek, 2006

Metal: Brass
Diameter: 19.5mm
Reverse: St. George

Saint George (275-303) was a Roman soldier from Syria, who was in the guard of the emperor Diocletian. He is one of the most venerated saints and people throughout many countries hold him in high regard. He was immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the dragon.

According to legend, this happened in the land of Libya which was supposed to be exotic enough that a dragon may be imagined living there. So there was this plague bearing dragon which had poisoned a lake and the locals fed him two sheep daily to appease him. When they ran out of sheep, they fed the dragon their children. the child to be sent in as a sacrifice was decided by means of a lottery. One fine day the draw happened to be on the king's daughter. The king offered all his gold and silver to anyone who could save his daughter but no one came forth. Now when the princess was standing in dread of the dragon coming, Saint George happened to pass by that place. He fought the dragon and took it back to the city of Silene, the hometown of the princess. As it is the people were terrified on sight of the dragon but Saint George said that he would slay the dragon if the people converted to Christianity. They agreed and Saint George slayed the dragon. The king later made a church of the virgin Mary where the dragon was slain.

The shown portrayal of Saint George slaying has been depicted in many places throughout the ages, including paintings, coinage, wood carvings etc.

Thailand 50 Baht - Prince royal cradle ceremony

2011-06-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

Thailand 50 Baht: Prince royal cradle ceremony

This 50 Baht coin was released on the occasion of first birthday of prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the son of crown prince Vajiralongkorn and princess Srirasmi, who happens to be the third legal wife of the crown prince. The prince Dipangkorn turned 1 on 29th April, 2006. There were lots of pictures of the prince with his relatives, most notably with the king Bhumibol Adulyadej and queen Sirikit, who are his grandparents. Princess Srirasmi later held a small birthday party at their residence, Sukothai palace on 29 April 2006.

Thailand Satang

2011-06-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

25 Satang, 1990

Metal: aluminium bronze
Ruler: Rama IX
Date: 2533 BE= 1990AD
Diameter: 16mm
Weight: 1.9gm
Reverse: Wat Phra Mahathat, which contains a tooth relic of Buddha

50 satang, 1980

Metal: aluminium-bronze
Ruler: Rama IX
Date:2523 BE=1980 AD

The satang is 1/100th of a Baht so 50 satang=1/2Baht and 25 satang = 1/4 Baht.

Thailand 20 Baht - VI

2011-06-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Thailand 20 baht, FAO world food summit

20 baht, Asian development bank

Thailand 10 Baht - V

2011-06-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

Thailand 10 Baht 60th anniversary of treasury department May 23, 1993

Date: 2536 BE = 1993 AD

Thailand 10 Baht, King Rama IX anniversary of reign, twice as long on the throne

Metal:Nickel
Diameter: 32mm
Date: BE 2524 (1981 AD)

10 Baht, 60th anniversary - royal Thai language academy March 31

Metal: Nickel
Diameter: 32mm
Date: 2537 BE=1994 AD

Proof set: Maharana Pratap

2011-06-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

Maharana Pratap proof set cover

Maharana Pratap proof set obverse

Reverse

Maharana Pratap 100 rupee

Maharana Pratap 10 rupee

Maharana Pratap 1 rupee

Maharana Pratap Singh was a ruler of Mewar and belonged to the Sisodiya clan of Suryavanshi Rajputs. Maharana Pratap Singh is believed to be the epitome of fiery Rajput pride and self-respect; he has exemplified the qualities to which Rajputs aspire for centuries. Maharana Pratap Singh was born as the eldest child among 25 brothers and 20 sisters at Kumbhalgarh on May 9, 1540 to Maharana Udai Singh II and Maharani Javanta Bai Songara (Chauhan). The birthplace of Maharana Pratap Singh is known as Juni Kacheri.

Maharana Pratap Singh, Ruler of MewarIn 1568, during the reign of Udai Singh II, the Mughal emperor Akbar conquered Chittor. The third Jauhar of Chittor became apparent, with the ladies of the fort finding safety from personal dishonour and plunged themselves into fire, while rest of the men folk sallied forth to certain death in the battlefield. Before this condition, Udai Singh and his family had moved to the safety of the nearby hills. He later moved base to another location in the foothills of the Aravalli Range. This new foundation gradually became the city of Udaipur and was accordingly named after him. Udai Singh wished Jagmal, his favorite son could succeed him but his senior nobles wanted Pratap, the eldest son, to be their king. During the coronation ceremony Jagmal was actually moved out of the palace and Pratap was deliberately made the king. Pratap did not want to go against the desire of his father but Rajput nobles convinced him strongly that Jagmal was not capable to rule in the crucial times of the day. It was the beginning of a career of struggle and hardship for Maharana Pratap Singh.

Maharana Pratap Singh never believed Akbar as the ruler of India, and kept on fighting with Akbar all his life. Akbar first tried several diplomatic ways to win over Maharana Pratap but nothing really worked. Maharana Pratap Singh maintained that he had no intention to fight with Akbar, however he could not bow down to Akbar and accept him as the ruler. There was some possibility that Maharana Pratap Singh could have become friends with Akbar, but in the invasion for Chittor Akbar had killed around 30,000 civilians, unarmed residents of Chittor only because they refused to convert to Islam. This left an ever-lasting impression on Maharana Pratap Singh`s mind and he adamant not to bow to such an injustice and cruelty.

Composition

Nepal 300 rupee

2011-06-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

300 rupee, Rashtriya Banjiya bank silver jubilee 1990

The legend reads Rashtriya Banjiya Bank Rajat jayanti 2022-2047, and also shows the bank logo. The Rashtriya Banjiya Bank, which translates to the National Bank of commerce, is to Nepal what the Reserve Bank is to India. The date converts to 1965-1990 AD, which means this one was released in 1990 on the occasion of silver jubilee of the Rashtriya Banijya Bank of Nepal.

Weight: 18gm
Silver: 92.5%

Date: 2047 VS = 1990 AD

25 paise coins to become history

2011-05-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

The following is an article from The Times of India dated 25 May, 2011:

NAGPUR: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a public notice stating that 25 paise coins would cease to be legal tender from June 30, 2011. Arrangements have been made for exchange of these coins for their face value at all offices of RBI and branches of forty-five banks maintaining small coin depots and notified by RBI.

RBI has made it clear that coins of 25 paise denomination and below will not be exchanged from June 30. The minimum legal tender from July 1 will be 50 paise.

The 25 paise coin was introduced in 1957 when RBI switched over to the decimal system from the Anna system. In 1988, stainless steel coins of 25 paise denomination were issued for the first time. Due to increase in prices of all commodities 25 paise has become irrelevant. A few years ago 10 paise coins were discontinued.

The decision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to do away with coins of 25 paise and less with effect from June 30 left many people dealing regularly in these denominations at a loss across the country.

Shop owners and street vendors in Patna expressed surprise on learning about the move on Thursday. "We need coins of small denominations because most medicines are not priced in round figures," said Ravi Sahu, a chemist on S P Verma Road. Street vendors, especially those dealing in items like betel, gutkha and beedis, also said they would be hit. "Many a time rickshaw-pullers come with Rs 1.25 and ask for five beedis. They want to utilize every paisa of their income. The decision will render their 25-paise worthless," said Munnilal Sharma, a betel shop owner near Gandhi Maidan.

The RBI has asked the public to exchange these coins at the branches of banks maintaining small coin depots or at its own offices at face value.

In the face of the current inflation, the 25paise and 50 paise coins have more melt value than the face value of these coins and about 6 years back there was an incident in which a person was caught by the police with 25 and 50 paise coins having a total face value of about 60,000 rupees. He had taken the coins from a bank in Mangalore and confessed that he was taking the coins to his contact who would melt the coins into the constituent nickel and sell it as scrap. As such, this move by the RBI should not surprise anyone. From the numismatic point of view, the rarity of these fractional currencies is going to spike in all the categories. The availability of 25 paise coins would decrease to some extent, and this move would be probably replicated a few years down the line in the case of 50 paise coins. Thus the 25 paisa is now no longer legal tender, rather it is now something more valuable: a collector's item.

25 paise varieties

Nepal 100 rupee

2011-05-28T00:29:00.000-07:00

100 rupee, world food day

Lettering: Vishwa khadya diwas Nepal, or world food day Nepal
Figure working in field

Weight: 25.49 gm
Silver: 92.5%
Date: 2038 VS = 1981 AD
Note: picture in the catalog does not show the Obverse

Nepal 50 rupee

2011-05-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

Nepal 50 rupee, Education for village women

Weight:25gm

Silver: 50%

Subject: education for village women

Date: 2036 VS = 1979 AD

cops chase 500Km for 1rs bundle

2011-05-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

1 rupee note 1964

The following is a part of a report in the Times of India. Read on:

NEW DELHI: It's not often that a cop would travel over 500 km to chase a bundle of one-rupee notes. If you thought Re 1 is a pittance, you are mistaken. This bundle is actually worth a bounty - Rs 32 lakh for all the 100 notes. What makes it priceless is its antique value. These rare notes bear the signature of former finance secretary S Bhootalingam and is a collector's dream. Each note can fetch a mindboggling Rs 25,500 in the antique market. And this precious booty was stolen from Delhi and smuggled to Rajasthan. And this sent alarm bells ringing. A team of Lajpat Nagar police raided three places in Rajasthan - Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaipur - to retrieve the cash.

Rajkumar Gupta, a resident of Rajouri Garden, thought he had hit a jackpot when he stumbled upon 100 notes of rupee one signed by former finance secretary Bhootalingam. He found that he could sell these notes between Rs 28 lakh and 32 lakh. While enquiring on the procedure, he found two buyers - Ankit and Mahesh - who asked him to come to Lajpat Nagar market on March 26. And it was then that he was left duped.

Additional CP (southeast) Ajay Chaudhry said, "While the deal was being hammered out, the two men tricked him and quietly stole the cash. Later, a case was lodged with the Lajpat Nagar police station. We began investigations and found that the accused had moved to Rajasthan. We found that the mobile phones used by the thieves were procured through fake IDs."

The trail took the cops to Bikaner where they tracked down an accomplice, Manoj, who had received the consignment. He was about to deliver it to one Mahender Kumar at Jaipur. "We also got a tip-off that the gang was planning to sell the notes through a local auction and the base price had been set at Rs 26 lakh," said an investigating officer.

The last one rupee note was issued in 1994 and the 1995 1rs note as some of us may have heard about, is a fake. Since the 1 rupee notes are no longer in circulation, that makes them a collector's item. Though I have to admit that I do not know much about notes, but as far as I know most 1 rupee notes have value like 20-40 in UNC condition, and in poor condition we cannot expect appreciation. The 1964 one rupee note signed by Bhootlingam is specifically rare and a single note is valued at 25000+ in good condition.

Nepal 25 rupee

2011-05-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

25 rupee, 1974

Weight: 25.6gm
Silver: 50%
Subject: Birendra coronation
Obverse: crown
Reverse: dagger flanked by coronation
Date: 2031 VS = 1974 AD

25 rupee, 1984

Weight: 12gm
Silver: 25%
Obverse: crown
Date: 2041 VS = 1984 AD

Proof set: Bhagat Singh

2011-05-15T15:20:00.001-07:00

ਸੂਰਾ ਸੋ ਪੇਹ੍ਚਾਨਿਯੇ ਜੋ ਲੜੇ ਦੀਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ ||
ਪੁਰਜਾ ਪੁਰਜਾ ਕਟ ਮਰੇ ਕਬਹੂ ਨਾ ਛਾਡੇ ਖੇਤ ||

Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh proof set cover

Obverse

Reverse

Bhagat Singh 100 rupee

Bhagat Singh in prison

Bhagat Singh 5 rupee

When Westerns think about India's long and gruelling struggle for independence, they picturize Richard Attenborough and Mahatma Gandhi, and maybe peaceful protests. But what is usually missed out in this is the other side of the coin: The revolutionaries epitomized by none other than Shaheed-e-Azam(king of martyrs) Bhagat Singh. Gandhi himself said of Bhagat Singh: "There has never been, within living memory, so much romance round any life as has surrounded that of him."

Though movies have been made many times about Bhagat Singh, romanticizing a life which comprises of romance itself, but not many knew about the man before Manoj Kumar's Shaheed wherein songs like Mera Rang De Basanti chola were immortalized for the generations and also reused in the remakes of the iconic movie.

Born in a family of radicals, revolution came to be in Bhagat Singh's blood and breath. A young Bhagat at age 12 was deeply moved when he missed his school to visit the site of Jallianwala Bagh maassacre in Amritsar: British army officers had shot dead about 400 peaceful protesters without any provocation and many people also died by jumping into the local well when trying to escape from the ubiquitous hail of bullets.(Yours truly has visited the site and bullet marks are still visible on the walls which scream out the story of the horrible event which occured way back in 1919). In 4 years this spark in Bhagat Singh's heart became a raging fire as he read the philopsophies of socialists like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. He developed a socialist and secular vision for India which extended beyond mere freedom towards nation-building and the removal of the caste system.

In a few years, Bhagat Singh found himself at the very centre of underground Indian struggle for independence. He threw a bomb in 1929 in the legislative assembly in protest against the repressive public safety bill. As intended, nobody was hurt. As Bhagat Singh said "to make the deaf hear you need a bomb". Bhagat Singh could easily have escaped but allowed himself to be arrested in order to use his court appearances as a revolutionary platform. With courageous and powerful speeches in the court that bore little relevance to his own defense, he articulated his vision for a free India – enduring prison persecution, hunger strikes, forced-feeding and violent beatings in order to give voice to his self-proclaimed “people’s movement.” Sentenced to life imprisonment, Singh was subsequently tried – along with two fellow revolutionaries – for the killing of a police officer two years earlier. Conducted by a special tribunal fraught with violations of due process, the farcical trial ended in death sentences. Singh refused to move a mercy petition and he and his two young comrades were hanged in Lahore Jail on 23rd March 1931. He was 23 years old.

Today, India slips rapidly into the folds of capitalism. Perhaps India could have profited more if only – like Nelson Mandela – Bhagat Singh had survived to usher in its new independent era.

Composition

Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai

Aye watan, Karta nahin kyun doosraa kuch baat-cheet
Dekhta hun main jise woh chup teri mehfil mein hai
Aye shaheed-e-mulk-o-millat main tere oopar nisaar
Ab teri himmat ka charcha gair ki mehfil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Waqt aanay dey bata denge tujhe aye aasman
Hum abhi se kya batayen kya hamare dil mein hai
Kheench kar layee hai sab ko qatl hone ki ummeed
Aashiqon ka aaj jumghat koocha-e-qaatil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Hai liye hathiyaar dushman taak mein baitha udhar
Aur hum taiyyaar hain seena liye apna idhar
Khoon se khelenge holi agar vatan muskhil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Haath jin mein ho junoon katt te nahi talvaar se
Sar jo uth jaate hain voh jhukte nahi lalkaar se
Aur bhadkega jo shola-sa humaare dil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Hum to ghar se nikle hi the baandhkar sar pe kafan
Jaan hatheli par liye lo barh chale hain ye qadam
Zindagi to apni mehmaan maut ki mehfil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Yuun khadaa maqtal mein qaatil kah rahaa hai baar baar'
Kya tamannaa-e-shahaadat bhi kisee ke dil mein hai
Dil mein tuufaanon ki toli aur nason mein inqilaab
Hosh dushman ke udaa denge humein roko na aaj
Duur reh paaye jo humse dam kahaan manzil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Wo jism bhi kya jism hai jismein na ho khoon-e-junoon
Toofaanon se kya lade jo kashti-e-saahil mein hai
Chup khade hain aaj saare bhai mere khaamosh hain
Na karo to kuch kaho mazhab mera mushkil mein hai

Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai

Nepal 10 rupee

2011-05-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

10 rupee, FAO 1968

Weight: 15.6gm
Metal: 60% silver
Obverse: bust of Mahendra Bir Bikram
Date: 2025 VS = 1968 AD

10 rupee, 1994

This 10 rupee coin is made of brass plated steel, and the reverse shows a book which reads "Nepal adhirajyako samvidhan" which translates to the constitution of the kingdom of Nepal. The date below reads 2047 which converts to 1990 AD. Date is 2051 VS = 1994 AD.

Nepal Five rupee

2011-05-07T23:37:00.001-07:00

Five rupee, Pashupatinath temple
Pashupatinath temple

Pashupati is one of the epithets of Lord Shiva. It translates to "Lord of animals". Pashupatinath is the most important shrine for Hindus all over Nepal as well as in other countries including India. Only Hindus(who believe in Pashupati) are allowed to enter in the temple, and all people not born in Nepal or India are considered non-Hindus. Non-Hindus are allowed to have a look at the temple from the other bank of Bagmati river.

According to the legend, it is not known for certain when the temple was founded, but it is said that Lord Shiva gained great fame here as Pashupati, or the Lord of the animals.

Five rupee, visit Nepal 1998

Proof set: Veer Durgadass

2011-05-03T22:28:00.001-07:00

Durgadass proof set Cover

Obverse

Reverse

Durgadass proof 100 rupee obverse

Reverse

The 'M' mint mark below the date shows that its a proof coin minted by the Mumbai mint.

Veer Durgadass 10 rupee obverse

Reverse

Veer Durgadass proof 1 rupee

Composition

Early life

Durgadas was a suryavanshi Rathore Rajput, who belonged to the Karnot branch of the Rathore clan. Askaran Rathore, a Rajput general in the army of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, was his father. As his mother lived away from Jodhpur as she did not get along with her husband and Durgadas grew up in a small village.

A camelherd who was rearing the herds of the Maharaja, ventured into the boy Durgadas's fields. Durgadas asked the camel herd to take his herd away as he was concerned about his fields but the camelherd paid no heed. Durgadas killed him with his sword. Durgadass was summoned by Maharaja Jaswant Singh when when word of this reached him. Durgadas told him that the royal herd of camels was giving Jaswant Singh a bad name by destroying the crops of ordinary people. The Maharaja gave Duragdass an appointment in the army as he was impressed with Durgadas's uprightness.

Saving Ajit Singh

Maharaja Jaswant Singh, ruler of Marwar, died in 1679 without immediate male heirs. However, two of his wives were pregnant at the time of his death. Seeing the opportunity, the mughal emperor Aurangzeb to intervene; he appointed a Muslim to rule over Marwar, which upset the Rathod clan a great deal. One of Jaswant Singh's pregnant widows gave birth, in due course, to a male child, who was named Ajit Singh. After the birth of a heir, prominent people of Marwar, including Durgadas, went to Delhi along with the infant Ajit Singh and asked Aurangzeb that the infant be confirmed in his late father's estates and titles. Aurangzeb did not absolutely refuse, but suggested that Ajit grow up in Delhi in front of him.

The nurturing of the head of the Rathod clan in Aurangzeb's staunchly muslim household was not acceptable to the clan. It is said that crown prince Ajit Singh along with his mother was staying at a place called "Bhuli Bhatiyari" near Jhandewalan of modern Delhi. Durgadas and others of the delegation resolved upon smuggling Ajit Singh out of Delhi. Durgadas and his 300 men, notable among them Thakur Mokam singh Balunda and Mukand Das Khichi made a plan. According to the plan Mokam Singh Balunda's wife Bagheli put her infant girl, in place of Ajit Singh. As they approached the outskirts of the city, the mughal guards fell in hot pursuit and Durgadas and his companions had to make their escape while fighting hand-to-hand battle with the much larger mughal army. Every now and then, some 15-20 Rajputs would fall behind to check the mughal pursuers, thus sacrificing themselves for the bigger cause. In this battle Mokam singh Balunda, his son Hari singh Balunda got injured, but they managed to keep distance between the forward party and the Mughals.Among them Mokam singh Balunda's wife Bagheli Rani. This continued till the evening; and in the end Durgadas managed to escape with the infant Ajit Singh even though he was left with just seven men out of the 300 he started with. Mokam Singh's wife Bagheli ji kept Maharaja Ajit singh at Balunda for almost one year, Later, he was moved to the safety of Aravali hills near Abu Sirohi, a remote town on the southern fringes of Marwar, and grew up in anonymity.

Marwar remained under the direct rule of a Mughal governor for 20 years hence.Durgadas carried out a relentless struggle against the occupying forces. Durgadas took advantage of the disturbances following the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 to seize Jodhpur and eventually evict the occupying Mughal force. Ajit Singh was proclaimed Maharaja of Jodhpur. He rebuilt all the temples that had been desecrated by the occupying Muslims.

Character

Aurangzeb's son Sultan Muhammad Akbar rebelled against his father. Durgadas was among those who extended aid to him in the rebellion. But Akbar was exiled, where he died later and the plan failed. He left his children in the custody of Durgadas. Aurangzeb became extremely anxious to get his grandchildren back. He requested Durgadas, who agreed to send them to Aurangzeb. When the children arrived, Aurangzeb asked a Qazi to start teaching them the Quran. On hearing this, his little granddaughter began reciting ayats from the holy book. Aurangzeb was left dumbfounded. On being asked, his granddaughter told him that while she was in Durgadas's custody, a Qazi had been engaged to take care of their religious training.

Such was Durgadas. Till today, people in Rajasthan pray: Mayee ehra poot jan jehara DURGADAS, baandh mundaso rakhiyo bin thambe aakash. (Mother, give birth to a son just like Durgadas,who stopped the flooding dam of Moghuls (the Moghul Army) without any support (i.e. single handedly)).

Last breath

So, having kept his word that he gave to Jaswant Singh, left Jodhpur to live in Sadri, Udaipur, Rampura, Bhanpura for some time and then left to worship Mahakaal at Ujjain. On 22nd November 1718, on the banks of the Sipra at Ujjain, Durgadas passed away at the age of 81 years, his beautiful canopy in red stone is still at the Chakrathirth, Ujjain, which is pilgrimage for all freedom fighters and rajputs. Veer Durgadas thus left behind a sterling example of loyalty, chivalry and courage.

Nepal 2 rupee

2011-04-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

Janki Temple, Nepal

Two rupee, Janki Temple

The Janki Temple was built by Queen Brisabhanu Kunwari of Tikamgarh in 1911. It is also known as the nau lakha mandir because it was built at the cost of 9 lakh rupees. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Sita as in 1657 a golden statue of goddess Sita was found there and Sita is also said to have lived there.

It is also the epitome of Rajput architechture in Nepal.

Two rupee, Sagarmatha

Sagarmatha(Mount Everest)

Sagarmatha is the Nepalese name for Mount Everest. For more details see under One rupee coin featuring Sagarmatha.

Visit Nepal 1998

Two rupee, visit Nepal 1998

Metal: Brass
Diameter: 25mm
Theme: Visit Nepal
Date : 1998

Nepal 1 rupee - III

2011-04-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

One rupee, Sagarmatha
Sagarmatha, Nepal

Sagarmatha is the Nepalese name of mount Everest, and it means "on top of the world". The other prominent attraction of the region is the Sagarmatha national park, which has been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The Sagarmatha national park is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, where plants grow and flowers bloom rapidly after the monsoons, and the region becomes green in a short period of time. Lots of insects and birds which feed on them can also be found here. The park also boasts of being home to quite a few endangered species like the Red Panda(think the Jungle book), the elusive snow leopard, musk deer(known for its scent), wild yak and the Himalayan Black bear.

It may be noted that Sagar is a Sanskrit word meaning sky, and it is not to be confused with the Hindi word Sagar which means sea or ocean and Matha means forehead. Hence we have Sagarmatha as the modern Nepali name for Mount Everest.

One rupee, 50 years of UN

Metal: Brass plated steel
Diameter: 22mm
Theme: 50th anniversary of the United Nations

UNC set: 60 years of commonwealth

2011-04-22T00:47:00.001-07:00

60 years commonwealth UNC set cover

60 years commonwealth 100 rupee obverse

Reverse

60 years commonwealth 5 rupee

The commonwealth of nations, also formerly referred to as the British commonwealth is comprised of 53 nations which were previously part of the British empire(except for Rwanda and Mozambique). It was noted as early as 1884 that the British empire was changing as the colonies were becoming more and more independent. In 1917, Jan Christian Smuts phrased the term 'British commonwealth of nations' along the lines of future relations between the constituent nations, and in 1919 the historic Versailles conference was held among delegates of the nations, and it was agreed upon that Britain and its dominions were equal in status and in no way subordinate to each other.

The stated aims of the commonwealth are democracy and development,human rights, gender equality and fight against poverty, disease and ignorance. At present the most visible commonwealth activity is the commonwealth games.

Composition

Nepal 1 rupee - II

2011-04-18T05:48:00.000-07:00

Gorkhapatra centenary 1 Rupee

This coin was issued to celebrate the completion of 100 years of the Gorkhapatra, which is a newspaper in Nepal. The figure on the obverse shows some people reading a newspaper, which is intended to be the Gorkhapatra, the oldest national daily newspaper of Nepal and run by the Gorkhaptra sansthan. This coin was released in AD 2000 which means that the Gorkhapatra was started in 1900 AD.

1 Rupee, Visit Nepal 1998

Metal: Brass
Diameter: 20mm

Nepal 1 rupee - I

2011-04-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

One rupee Bageshwari temple
Brass plated steel
edge:plain
note: magnetic
inscription on reverse: vageshwari nepal 1 rupaiya
inscription on obverse: small trident in centre, shri gyanendra bir bikram shah dev.
Date: 2060 VS-2003 AD

One rupee, 1979

Weight: 10.2gm
Metal: copper-nickel
Date: 2036 VS=1979 AD

One rupee, Tal Barahi Temple

The Tal Barahi temple lies in the middle of Phewa lake at Pokhara, and the only way to get there is through ferrying boats. It is a small pagoda style temple where the deity Barahi resides. This one was released in 2032 VS = 1975 AD

Nepal 50 paisa

2011-04-12T16:00:00.001-07:00

Swayambhu Mahachaitya

50 paisa, 1988
Metal: stainless steel
Diameter: 23.5mm
Date: 2045 VS=1988AD

50 paisa, 2004

Weight: 1.41gm
Metal : Aluminium
Diameter: 22.5mm
Obverse: dome of swayambhu maha chaitya
Reverse: crown
Date: 2061 VS=2004AD

The lettering above the crown on obverse reads "shree swayambhu maha chaitya".Swayambhu is a pilgrimage centre in the Kathmandu valley revered by Hindus and Buddhists, by people of Nepal, India, Bhutan and china. From almost all parts of the Kathmandu valley, we can see beautiful views of the Swayambhu hill, which is also known as “Gopucchha” and ”Gosringa” hill because it looks like a tail or horn of a cow when one observes it from the Chobhar hill.

The site of Swayambhu mahachaitya is very beautiful where many old botanical species grow.

According to the legend, the Vipaswi Buddha came to a lake here and sowed a lotus seed here.From the flower that bloomed, swayambhujyoti(sele originated flame) is said to have emanated. On hearing about the flame, pilgrims started coming to the place. One of the pilgrims, Mahamanjushree cut out a slit at the hill at Chobar with the hel of his spouses Varada and Mokshyada, and dried out the lake to make it suitable for human settlement. At the site where the Swayambhu jyoti had emerged, a stupa was created which came to be known as the Swayambhu mahachaitya.

There is no proper archaeological evidence to support the legend, although geology does confirm that the valley originated from a lake. It can be assumed that after the lake dried up, human settlement began in the region about 1000 years ago, based on the stories in the puranas and the local chronicles.

Coin of the month

2011-04-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

DATE ADDED	CURRENCY OF THE MONTH	COUNTRY
APR 11	Series, Pesos, 2011 (Fauna of Uruguay)		Uruguay
MAR 11	500 Francs, 1993		Belgium
FEB 11	2000 Pesos, 1993		Chile
JAN 11	2 Euro 2011		Spain
DEC 10	Series, 5 Cents "Buffalo Nickel" (1913-1918)		U.S.
NOV 10	1 Peso, 1942		Uruguay
OCT 10	Series 10 Francs (1969-1979)		Belgium
SEP 10	2 Pesos, 2010		Argentina
AUG 10	Series, Dollars, 1976 (U.S. Bicentennial)		U.S.
JUL 10	500 Pesos, 2000		Chile
JUN 10	2 Euros 2010 (Mezquita de Cordoba)		Spain
MAY 10	5 New Pesos, 1976		Uruguay
APR 10	Series, 10 Pesos, 1990		Chile
MAR 10	12 Euros, 2010		Spain
FEB 10	Series, 10 Cents "Mercury Dime (1916-1945)		U.S.
JAN 10	01 Cent, 2007		Venezuela
DEC 09	10 Pesos, 1961		Uruguay
NOV 09	25 Pesetas, 1999		Spain
OCT 09	Series, Weight Provincial PR, Alfonso XIII (1895 - 1896)		Puerto Rico
SEP 09	10 Pesos, 2000		Uruguay
AUG 09	2 Euros 2009 (tenth anniversary of EMU)		Spain
JUL 09	25 Cents, 2009 (Puerto Rico)		U.S.
JUN 09	12 Euros, 2009		Spain

This section is updated monthly in conjunction with the following partners and participants Sites:

Coins of Spain: the Spanish Coins Ruymán

Numismatic Puerto Rico: Numismaticoinspr

Numismatic Uruguay: NumisNati

Numismatic Chile: Chilean Coins

Coins of Belgium: iBelgica

Numismatic Argentina: MonBil.Com.Ar

Now you can access this section titled "coin of the month" which would feature articles from numismatists around the world , including yours truly who would be writing as a representative numismatist of India. This should give a good insight to coinage from around the world.

Nepal 25 paisa

2011-04-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

25 paise, 1974
Metal: copper-nickel
Subject: Birendra coronation
Obverse: crown
Reverse: Dagger flanked by garlands
Date: VS 2031 = AD 1974

25 paisa, 1981

Weight: 3gm
Metal: copper nickel
Obverse: trident within small circle
Reverse: garland on dagger

Date:2038 VS = 1981 AD

25 paisa, 1993

Weight: 18gm
Metal: aluminium
Diameter: 24.5mm
Obverse: crown
Date: 2050 VS = 1993 AD

25 paisa, 2000

Weight: 15gm
Metal: Aluminium
Diameter: 20mm
Date: VS 2057 = AD 2000
Obverse: crown

Nepal 20 paisa

2011-04-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

Nepal 20 paisa, 1968
Metal: Brass
Series: F.A.O.
Date: VS 2035=1978 AD

Proof set: 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

2011-03-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Rabindranath Tagore proof set cover

This is the first proof set to be released in India having a coin in the denomination of 150rs, and perhaps fittingly it features India's first Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore.

Rabindranath Tagore at different stages in his life

Rabindranath Tagore proof set obverse

Tagore proof set reverse

The picture which provides the background is the Shantiniketan, which was initially a university founded by Rabindranath Tagore and is now known as a popular getaway and a peaceful sojourn. The name of shantiniketan means the abode of peace. The univeristy boasts of some illustrious students like Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, Abdul Ghani Khan, Jahar Dasgupta and Amartya Sen.

Rabindranath Tagore 150rupee obverse

Tagore 150 rupee reverse

Rabindranath Tagore 5 rupee

Rabindranath Tagore was born to Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj and head of a wealthy Brahmin family in Calcutta in 1861. He had a brief tenure in London in 1878 where he studied law, but then he returned to his home town Calcutta. for many years he had some success in his locality as a writer. His poems were published in a friend's magazine and at times he himself played the characters portrayed in his plays. His work was entirely in Bengali, and needless to say, he was little known outside of his home town, much less outside of India. In 1912, Tagore decided to complete his law studies. His age was 51 at this time and his son accompanied him on his voyage. On the way to London, he started translating his poems into English just to pass his time, and thus compiled some handwritten translations in a notebook. His son left his father's briefcase containing this notebook in London, and as it so happened, it was chanced upon by some honest man, who returned their belongings. On learning about the existence of these translated poems, Rothenstein, who was a famous artist and also Tagore's friend, requested him to let him read the peoms. When a reluctant Tagore finally relented, Rothenstein was astonished by the beauty of the poems, and later talked W.B. Yeats into reading Tagore's work.Perhaps this was the first time some Westerner had got to read poems and stories by some Indian.

Yeats was enthralled in the least by the beauty and spirtituality of the poems. He later on wrote the introduction to Gitanjali when it was published in September 1912. In due course of time, both Tagore and his poems became a sensation in London and later on in the whole world. It was no less than a window to the mysticism and the spiritual beauty the East had to offer. Never before had anyone read anything like it. In 1913, Tagore became the first non-Western person to win a Nobel prize for his literary works. He thus became famous overnight and began touring the world and taking lectures on promoting inter-cultural harmony. The then British monarch honoured him with the knighthood in 1915, though he relinquished his title in 1919 in protest to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in which about 400 peaceful demonstrators were mercilessly killed. Even when not travelling, he remained active as a literary, spiritual and socio-political force.

Although a good friend of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, most of the time Tagore stayed out of politics. He was opposed to nationalism and miltiarism as a matter of principle, and instead promoted spiritual values and the creation of a new world culture founded in multi-culturalism, diversity and tolerance. He served as a spiritual and creative beacon to his countrymen, and indeed, the whole world. He used the funds from his writing and lecturing to expand upon the school he had founded in 1901 now known as Visva Bharati . The alternative to the poor system of education imposed by the British, combined the best of traditional Hindu education with Western ideals. Tagore's multi-cultural educational efforts were an inspiration to many, including his friend, Count Hermann Keyserling of Estonia. Count Keyserling founded his own school in 1920 patterned upon Tagore's school, and the ancient universities which existed in Northern India under Buddhist rule over 2,000 years ago under the name School of Wisdom. Rabindranath Tagore led the opening program of the School of Wisdom in 1920, and participated in several of its programs thereafter. He wrote over one thousand poems; eight volumes of short stories; almost two dozen plays and play-lets; eight novels; and many books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and social topics. Aside from words and drama, his other great love was music, Bengali style. He composed more than two thousand songs, both the music and lyrics. Two of them became the national anthems of India(Jana Gana Mana) and Bangladesh(Amar Shonar Bangla).He is the only person whose works have been adopted by two different countries as their national anthems. Also, Sri Lanka's national anthem Matha was written by Anand Samarakoon in 1940, who happened to be Tagore's student and his works were also inspired by the man. In 1929 he even began painting. Many of his paintings can be found in museums today, especially in India, where he is considered the greatest literary figure of India of all times.

Tagore was not only a creative genius, he was a great man and friend to many. For instance, he was also a good friend from childhood to the great Indian Physicist, Bose. He was educated and quite knowledgeable of Western culture, especially Western poetry and Science. This made him a remarkable person, one of the first of our planet to combine East and West, and ancient and modern knowledge. Tagore had a good grasp of modern - post-Newtonian - physics, and was well able to hold his own in a debate with Einstein in 1930 on the newly emerging principles of quantum mechanics and chaos. His meetings and tape recorded conversations with his contemporaries such Albert Einstein and H.G. Wells, stand as cultural landmarks, and show the brilliance of this great man. Although Tagore is a superb representative of his country - India - the man who wrote its national anthem - his life and works go far beyond his country. He is truly a man of the whole Earth, a product of the best of both traditional Indian, and modern Western cultures. The School of Wisdom is proud to have him as part of its heritage. He exemplifies the ideals important to us of Goodness, Meaningful Work, and World Culture. Tagore breathed his last in 1941.

Premature celebrations?

Tagore's birth was in the year 1861 so 150 years of his birth were completed in the year 2011, but this set was released in mid 2010, a good one year before Tagore actually completed his 150 years.

Tagore manuscript

The above is a famous manuscript of Rabindranath Tagore. This is verse no. 44 from the phase “Swadesh” of the songs written by Gurudev Sri Rabindranath Tagore.

A transliteration of the above verses is as follows:

Bidhir badhon katbe tumi

Emon shaktiman

Tumi ki emoni shaktiman !

Aamader bhanga gara tomar hate

Emon abhiman

Tomader emoni abhiman

Chirodin tanbe pichhe

Chirodin rakhbe niche

Eto bal nai re tomar

Shabe na shei tan

Shashone jatoi ghero

Aachhe bal durbalero

Hao na jatoi baro

Aachhen Bhagoban

Aamader shakti mere

Torao baachbi ne re

Bojha tor bhari holei

Dub be tori khan !

Tagore proof set composition

Nepal 10 paisa

2011-03-25T22:42:00.001-07:00

10 paisa, 1966
Metal: aluminium-bronze
Date: VS 2023= AD 1966
Obverse: crescent moon and sun flank trident

10 paisa, 1967

Metal: brass
Date: VS 2024= AD 1967

10 paisa, 1986

Metal: Aluminium
Diameter: 21.5mm
weight: 1.3 gm
Date: VS 2043 = AD 1986

10 paise, international women's year 1975

Metal: Brass
Subject: F.A.O. international women's year
Date: VS2032=AD1975
Reverse legend: "samanta vikas shanti" meaning equality, development and peace

Nepal 5 paisa

2011-03-23T22:08:00.001-07:00

Nepal 5 paisa, 1943

Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Obverse: lamp within circle
Reverse: crescent moon and sun flank trident
Date:2000VS=1943AD

5 paisa, 1963

Metal: Bronze
Diameter: 22.5mm
Date: 2020 VS=1963AD
Obverse: sun and moon flank trident in centre

The trident is symbolic of Lord Shiva, who is worshiped widely in Nepal.

Coin booking: Mother Teresa,Rabindranath Tagore, CWG and Louis Braille

2011-03-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Coin booking for Mother Teresa, Rabindranath Tagore, Commonwealth Games and Louis Braille.

Coin booking is open for Mother Teresa and re booking is open for Rabindranath Tagore and Commonwealth games UNC and proof sets(at a premium). The steep increase in prices is definitely a cause for concern as it cuts into our budget. The mint is also releasing a large number of sets for the last 2-3 years.Personally I do not want to put too much money into these sets right away so I would be limiting my buying on sets this year, I would be buying only selected sets. It is on everyone's own discretion on what to buy and what not to buy, depending on their own budget. The coin bookings can be done through the Kolkata mint site: http://igmkolkata.spmcil.com/SPMCIL/Interface/SellableProducts.aspx

Nepal 1 paisa

2011-03-17T18:04:00.001-07:00

Nepal 1 paisa, 1946

Metal: copper
Diameter:23mm

Shree Pashupatinath, written in the legend on obverse, is an avatar of the Hindu Lord Siva, who is worshiped and revered throughout the Hindu world, especially in Nepal where he is the national god.

Nepal set: 400 years of Guru Granth Sahab

2011-03-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Nepal 250 rupees: 400 years of guru granth sahab obverse

Reverse

Nepal 250 rupees : 400 years of guru granth sahab

This coin was released in Nepal on the completion of 400 years of Guru Granth Sahab, the holy book of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs.It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708. Guru Granth Sahab was completed and installed in Harmandir Sahib in 1604, and this coin was released in 2004, after 400 years of the inauguration of Guru Granth Sahib ji. The date on the coin is VS 2061=2004 AD

The Adi Granth was first compiled by Guru Arjan Dev (1563–1606),the fifth Guru of the Sikhs from hymns of the first five Sikh gurus and other great saints, or bhagats, including those of the Hindu and Muslim faith. After the demise of the tenth Sikh guru many edited copies were prepared for distribution by Baba Deep Singh.

It is written in the Gurmukhī script, predominantly in archaic Punjabi, with occasional use of other languages including Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Sanskrit and Persian, often coalesced under the generic title of Sant Bhasha.

The numerous holy men other than the Sikh Gurus whose writing were included in the Adi Granth are collectively referred to as Bhagats "devotees" and their writings are referred to as Bhagat bani"Word of Devotees". These saints belonged to different social and religious backgrounds, including Hindus and Muslims, cobblers and untouchables. Though Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji contains the compositions of both Sikh Gurus as well the other great saints (Bhagats)—including those of the Hindu and Muslim faith—no distinction whatsoever is made between the works of Sikh Gurus and the works of the Bhagats contained within the Siri Guru Granth Sahib; the titles "Guru" and "Bhagat" should not be misleading. Guru Granth Sahib is said to be the sole and final successor of the line of gurus.

Apart from the Bani of the gurus, guru Granth Sahib ji also contains verses by the Bhagats Kabir(Muslim weaver), Namdev(Calico printer from Maharashtra), Ravi Das(Shoe maker from Uttar Pradesh), Dhanna(cultivator from Rajasthan), Sain(barber from Uttar Pradesh), Jaidev(poet from Bengal), Pipa(king from Uttar Pradesh), Sur Das(blind poet), Baba Farid(Muslim saint from Punjab), Parmanand(Maharashtra), Sadhna(butcher from Sindh), Beni, Ramanand(Uttar Pradesh) and Bhikhan(Sufi saint from Uttar Pradesh).

England Shilling

2011-03-13T15:11:00.001-07:00

Shilling, 1951
Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 23.5mm
Reverse: Lion atop crown
Ruler: George VI

Florin, 1966

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 28.3mm
Ruler: Elizabeth II
Reverse: Tudor rose at centre, thistle and shamrock wreath surround

The two shilling is also called a florin.

England Half crown

2011-03-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

George VI Half crown, 1950

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 32.3mm
Ruler: George VI
Reverse: quartered shield flanked by monograms

The half crown was an English denomination which was equivalent to 2.5 shillings, or 30 pence.

England two pound

2011-03-06T15:10:00.001-08:00

2 pounds, 2002
Weight: 12gm
Metal: bimetallic copper nickel centre with nickel brass rim
Diameter: 28.35mm
Reverse: Celtic designs
Edge lettering: Standing on the shoulders of Giants.

This phrase " standing on the shoulders of giants" was famously cited by Isaac Newton and it means to carry forward the intellectual work done by thinkers of the past. We are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more and farther than they did.

Proof set: Perarignar Annadurai

2011-03-01T04:44:00.000-08:00

Perarignar Annadurai Cover

Annadurai story

Perarignar Annadurai proof set obverse

Reverse

Perarignar Annadurai 100 rupee obverse

100 rupee reverse

Perarignar Annadurai 5 rupee

Annadurai composition

England one pound - IV

2011-02-28T14:54:00.001-08:00

England one pound, oak tree

The oak has always been seen as the national tree of England. Its great height, age and strength made it the king of the English forest, and a symbol of endurance.

The oak's sturdy timber was used to build the frames of houses, barns and halls, and the ships of Francis Drake and Horatio Nelson - the "heart of oak" celebrated in the official march of the British Navy. The tree was also sacred to the Druids and the Anglo-Saxons, and it sheltered an English king, Charles II, when he was on the run from his enemies.

Oak tree is also a national symbol of Germany.

One pound plantegenet lions

This is one of the coat of arms borne by Geoffrey Plantegenet and his descendants. It shows three lions passant guardant and it also features on the royal banner of England.The coat of arms of kings and dukes of England from 1198 to 1340, including Richard the Lionheart and Edward ! Longshanks is shown below.

England one pound - III

2011-02-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

1 pound, Celtic cross

The design on the reverse shows a Celtic cross, the broighter torc and pimpernel, all of which are a representation of Ireland. The pimpernel is a genus of 20-25 species of flowering plants.

Broighter torc and bowl

The Broighter torc was part of a substantial lot of gold artefacts found by Tom Nicholl in 1896 in Northern Ireland near Limavady. The lot is known as the broighter gold or broighter hoard. It includes a 7 inch long boat, a torc and some jewellery. It was found while ploughing on a farm and was later sold to the British museum for 600 pounds.

Celtic cross

Only the top part with the plus in the circle is the Celtic cross, the long column is simply a support.

1 pound, Welsh dragon

The Welsh dragon shown on this con also appears on the flag of Wales, and the Tudor monarchs had the red dragon as supporter in their coat of arms.The red dragon is seen as a symbol of all things Welsh.

The Mametz wood memorial

England one pound - II

2011-02-18T22:53:00.000-08:00

1 pound, Welsh leek

A leek in a coronet is shown here, representing Wales. Rather than producing bulbs like onion, a leek produces long bundles of sheathed leaves. Leeks can be easily grown and are used to lend flavor to stock.

1 pound scottish thistle

This one shows a cotton thistle sprig in a coronet, representing Scotland.

1 pound, Menai bridge

This coin shows the Menai Suspension Bridge (Welsh: Pont Grog y Borth) is a suspension bridge between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. Completed in 1826, it is one of the first modern suspension bridges in the world.

Thomas Telford was assigned the task of improving the route from London to Holyhead, which is one of the key terminals to Dublin, and one of the key improvements was his design of the suspension bridge over the Menai Strait between a point near Bangor on the mainland and the village of Porthaethwy on Anglesey. The bridge was opened to much fanfare on 30 January 1826 and reduced the journey time from London to Holyhead from 36 to 27 hours, a saving of 9 hours.

Menai suspension bridge

England one poumd - I

2011-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

England coat of arms

The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II.

The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; the rampant lion of Scotland in the second; and in the third, a harp for Northern Ireland.

The crest is a statant guardant lion wearing the imperial crown, himself on another representation of that crown.

The dexter supporter is a likewise crowned English lion; the sinister, a Scottish unicorn. According to legend a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the heraldic unicorn is chained, as were both supporting unicorns in the Royal coat of arms of Scotland.

The coat features both the motto of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter, Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shamed be he who thinks ill of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.

1 pound, 1983
Weight: 9.5gm
Metal: Nickel-brass
22.5mm
Reverse: England coat of arms
Obverse: queen Elizabeth II

1 pound, 1993

Edge lettering on pound coins

The edge lettering on the pound coins reads: "decus et tutamen" meanning an ornament and a safeguard was originally there on some 17th century coins and was meant to be for the edge as a protection for the precious metal. This phrase originally appeared in a poem by Virgil describing a breast plate interwoven with gold which was awarded to Menestheus as a prize.

1 pound, 2003

1000 rupee coin to be released

2011-02-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes. I know. The denomination face is nowhere to be seen so how do we know if its a 1000 rupee coin or 100 rupee coin. I was facing the same doubt myself having seen this same picture on a number of sites. But last Sunday I went to this exhibition in Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. It was a stamp exhibition but there was also a stall by the Mumbai mint. This one was on display there along with a few others. I saw it with my own eyes and so I believe what so far I believed was only a rumour.

Brihadeeswar temple 1000 rupee coin

Now I do know that a 1000 rupee coin will come out, and in what design it will come out. But I am still not sure what will be the booking price. The mint representative said that it will be having 90% silver content, as opposed to 50% silver in 100 rupee coins. So i assume that its booking price would be at least 8-10k for proof set and about 10-20% less of that for the UNC set. But here comes the dampener: As per some speculations, the cost of proof set could be higher than 20,000 rupees. And if that is the case and you are looking to have this one for your collection, then I would suggest you not to buy any coins for 1-2 months so that you can have enough liquidity for buying this one. Forewarned is forearmed.

Bookings are expected to begin in March.

England 50 pence

2011-02-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

Britannia statue

50 pence, 1980
Weight: 13.5gm
Metal: copper-nickel
Size: 30mm
Reverse: Britannia seated

Proof set: 150 years of railways restrike

2011-02-05T17:59:00.001-08:00

A few months back some restrike sets were released by the Kolkata mint which caused some issue with the collector community. Apparently people had divided opinions over the legality and the ethics of the restrikes. After a while, I got to know that the mint had put some pointers , some insignia so that people could differentiate between the original and the restrike. Whether this move was a result of petition filed by a group of collectors or it was just a whim of the mint management, I do not know. But if you want to know if a particular set is a restrike or original, you can see the second picture here(The proof set obverse). It has the letters R2010 embossed on it conveying clearly that it was booked as a restrike in 2010(Though the coins in it could have been minted in 2003 itself).

The originals would always have a higher demand so I booked very few of the restrike sets. According to me only the railways restrike is worth it so I have already sold out the rest of the restrikes I had and bought originals for all the restrikes I sold.

Railways restrike proof set cover

Railways restrike proof set obverse

Note the R-2010 which denotes that this set is a restrike.

Reverse

Railways 100 rupee obverse

Reverse

Railways 2 rupee proof

This coin was minted on the occasion of the completion of 150 years of the Indian railways since its inception on April 16, 1853. The 150th year was marked by year long celebrations and was capped off by unveiling the railway mascot, Bholu the elephant, which is also shown on the obverse of this coin. The elephant was chosen as a mascot because elephants carry load, and are not aggressive. Thus the mascot keeps in line with the projected "big, friendly and helpful" image of the Indian railways.

The novel plan for the introduction of a rail system, transformed the whole history of India. This innovative plan was first proposed in 1832; however no auxiliary actions were taken for over a decade. In the year 1844, private entrepreneurs were allowed to launch a rail system by Lord Hardinge, who was the Governor-General of India. By the year 1845, two companies were formed and the East India Company was requested to support them in the matter.

The credit from the UK investors led to the hasty construction of a rail system over the next few years. On 22nd Dec' 1851, the first train came on the track to carry the construction material at Roorkee in India. With a passage of one and a half years, the first passenger train service was introduced between Bori Bunder, Bombay and Thana on the providential date 16th Apr' 1853. This rail track covered a distance of 34 kms (21 miles). Ever since its origin, the rail service in India never turned back.

The British Government approached private investors and persuaded them to join the race with a system that would promise an annual return of 5% during the early years of operation. Once finished, the company would be transferred under the Government ownership, yet the operational control will be enjoyed by the original company. In 1880, the rail network acquired a route mileage of about 14,500 km (9,000 miles), mostly working through Bombay, Madras and Calcutta (three major port cities).

By 1895, India had started manufacturing its own locomotives. In no time, different kingdoms assembled their independent rail systems and the network extended to the regions including Assam, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In 1901, a Railway Board was formed though the administrative power was reserved for the Viceroy, Lord Curzon. The Railway Board worked under the guidance of the Deptt of Commerce and Industry. It was comprised of three members - a Chairman, a Railway Manager and an Agent respectively.

For the very first time in its history, the Railways instigated to draw a neat profit. In 1907, most of the rail companies were came under the government control. Subsequently, the first electric locomotive emerged in the next year. During the First World War, the railways were exclusively used by the British. In view of the War, the condition of railways became miserable. In 1920, the Government captured the administration of the Railways and the linkage between the funding of the Railways and other governmental revenues was detached.

With the Second World War, the railways got incapacitated since the trains were diverted to the Middle East. On the occasion of India's Independence in 1947, the maximum share of the railways went under the terrain of Pakistan. On the whole, 42 independent railway systems with thirty-two lines were merged in a single unit and were acknowledged as Indian Railways. The existing rail networks were forfeited for zones in 1951 and 6 zones were formed in 1952. With 1985, the diesel and electric locomotives took the place of steam locomotives. In 1995, the whole railway reservation system was rationalized with computerization.

So inspite of all the difficulties, and whatever may the reason be for the British building the railways, this was one good work that the British did in India that proved immensely beneficial for us in the long run.

Compsoition

Back

England Crown

2011-02-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

Crown, royal wedding

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 38.5mm
Subject: wedding of prince Charles and lady Diana

Crown, silver jubilee of queen's reign

Diameter: 38.5mm
Metal: copper-nickel
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth on horseback
Reverse: Eagle at center, crown at top.

The crown is well known for its size and bulk, being the largest coin to be circulated in recent times along with the Eisenhower dollar. It is equal to 25 cents as per the value in the decimal coinage system, though crown is also used as 5 pound coin. These crowns were released on some special occasions.