2017-10-16 Mon

The sound of coins is alluring as they talk about the history of countries and if you want to explore India’s rare and priceless coins, then you are invited to State Museum in Bhopal where 2,000 coins belonging to ancient and modern India are on display.

The coins that ferret out the 2600-year-old history of the country saw the punch-marked coins, which were in vogue in 16 Mahajanapadas (small states). The coins belong to R C Thakur, a private collector, who runs Ashwini Shodh Sansthan in Mahidpur, Ujjain.

The exhibition named ‘Sikko Ki Kahani’ consists of the coins made of gold, silver, copper, bronze, lead and bell metal. In all 20 gold coins including 2100-year-old Kanishka currencies, 1700-year-old Chandragupta I currencies, Portugal currency, Currency of Mahipal Dev, currencies of Mughal, Parmar, Kalchuri dynasty have put on display.

On the display is a 12g gold coin of Alauddin Khilji and 4 g gold coin of Rs 5 of East India Company. More than 1500 coins including Punch Marked Micro Round silver are also showcased. A variety of Kakani coins –Damroo, Makar, Elephant, Bull, Bindu maker and Rabbit have grabbed the attention of people.

The exhibition is divided into various sections including ‘Punchmark Coins’, ‘Mughal Era Coins’, and ‘Maurya Era Coins’, ‘Vikaramaditya Era Coins’, Coins of Indian states and other countries, Naga coins’, ‘Takshashila-Gandhar Coins’ and Modern Era Coins.

Under these sections, some rare collections including Ramgupta currency, coin of Buddha in meditation, coin of Dharm Chakra (300 BC), coin of Bodhi tree (300 BC), Kaushambi coin, currency of Sher Shah Suri, largest punch coin from Vidisha, Token of Akhand Bharat (1947), American currency, portrait currency of Mahatma Gandhi, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Alexander the Great have put on display. While some coins are in shapes of fish, frog, and hairpin, there are others giving the message to conserve water.