A Collectors’ Pack for Two Hobbies: Coins and Stamps
The collaboration between Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL) and India Post offers an interesting opportunity at the intersection of numismatics and philately. For collectors, a coin and a stamp issued for the same theme provide two distinct official representations of an important personality, event or national milestone. However, despite the obvious connection between the two, coordinated joint collectors' products have remained relatively uncommon in India. In 2019, India Post introduced a presentation pack, the first of its kind in India, combining a commemorative coin with philatelic material. The pack issued to mark the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi contained a ₹150 coin, one First Day Cover (FDC) and a Miniature Sheet. The ₹150 coin was minted by India Government Mint, Mumbai, and was priced at ₹5,225. From a numismatic perspective, this was significant because many numismatists are also philatelists; the commemorative coin became part ...