Coins Dating Back to 500 BCE to be Exhibited in Pune

The 51-year-old philatelist, Mr. Sharad Bora, based in the city, proudly owns a collection of over 1,200 Mahatma Gandhi stamps sourced from 125 countries. Recognized in the Limca Book of Records, Bora is set to exhibit a selection of these stamps at Coinex 2017, scheduled from December 15 to 17, 2017.

Coinex 2017 will also feature a display of rare coins from 1556–1605 CE and 350–375 CE. Bora, who has been collecting stamps since 1947, emphasizes the universality of stamps, which depict a wide variety of subjects—from household objects to birds and plants.

A member of the International Collectors Society of Rare Items (ICSRI) for 22 years, Bora aims to revive the declining hobby of coin and stamp collecting through this exhibition. Mr. Rajendra Shah, vice-president of ICSRI, notes that the objective is to spread knowledge and foster interest in the hobby.

The exhibition will showcase a diverse range of coins dating from 500 BCE through the Gupta Empire to 2017, crafted in gold, silver, copper, lead, and potentially platinum. This includes bi-metallic and tri-metallic coins, with Shah highlighting the rarity of bi-metallic coins—a category represented in India by the ₹10 coin. Globally, around 40 to 50 countries have issued bi-metallic coins over the past decade.

Mr. Shrinivas Bhat, former president of ICSRI and the sole Indian member of the World Bi-metal Coin Collectors Club, will contribute with his collection, which spans wildlife coins, color coins, and Olympic lapel pins.

The exhibition, held at Sonal Hall, Karve Road, will feature 70 frames showcasing collectors’ prized possessions. This year’s event will also include an auction of over 1,200 items, facilitated by coin dealers from across India, providing opportunities for both buying and selling.

The 40 stalls at the event will offer authentic information about the coins’ value, year, history, inscriptions, and impressions, with numismatic experts available for consultation. On the final day, a lecture on the Indus Valley Civilization will be delivered by Mr. Prabodh Shirvalkar and Mr. Amruta Sarkar from the Department of Archaeology at Deccan College.