My Struggles Of Pursuing Of The Hobby Of Collecting Old British India Notes

The general problem with Indian mentality is that we are resistant to change in many ways. Tries and tested Ideas and ideologies always take centre stage and anyone who is looking to break these barriers is pushed away forcibly. Today, I want to talk about personal interests and hobbies.As a child, I was always fascinated by the idea of collecting different kinds of banknotes. When I showed my parents the first note in my collection, they not only laughed at me but also discouraged me to continue this hobby. Being a very adamant boy from the beginning, I somehow found a way to stay in touch with my inner passion.

After a few years, I started developing interest in specific kind of banknotes like Old British India Notes. When I was taught about British India history in school, I started relating all those events from our past while studying about British Indian currency notes as well. These Rare British India notes were physical; almost like a reference point with which I could easily relate. All thanks to my passion for collecting British India notes, I started scoring well in my history exams. Being an average inattentive student in school, both my parents and teachers were surprised by my fabulous performances. I badly wanted to tell my parents that my life had changed after I started collecting currency of British India, but I feared that they would all again laugh at me. So I decided to keep this secret to myself until I reached college where I realized that there are many like me who are interested in collecting old Indian British banknotes.

I slowly started building my network of friends who also liked collecting banknotes. Most of them were into republic India notes. I was the star attraction among them as I had a unique collection of Old British India Notes. Since then, my confidence level shot up and there has been no looking back!

Why I Persuade My Kids To Start Collecting Stamps Of India

Like the famous going goes, different folks, different strokes. Each one of us on this earth is wired in a certain way, the moment we are born. As we grow older, we develop personal tastes and interests based on various factors. Most of our interests are influenced by our upbringing, our experiences and outlook towards life. Some have an inclination towards arts and literature while there are many others who are crazy about science and technology. Philately is the name given to the study of postage stamps. People who are engaged in collecting stamps and understanding them are known as philatelists. The beauty of this hobby is that, it can be pursued by anyone and everyone, irrespective of what your tastes are or where your interests lie. I personally love collecting Indian stamps as there are so many different themes to be explored. From history, to famous personalities to flora and fauna, stamps of India give you a complete overview of our magnificent country. 

Experts from this field always believe that this hobby should be introduced to kids at a very early stage in life. When they are trying to find out where their interest really lies, they would be exposed to a variety of topics by collecting stamps of India. As and when they collect new rare Indian stamps, they would be keen about learning each and every detail about them. This way, they are not only becoming sharper but are also increasing their general knowledge. If you ask a kid to open a text book and start studying, they would definitely get bored after a point. But if they were to start collecting stamps and read about them, they would be more excited about the entire process in general. From networking with fellow collectors to exchanging duplicate stamps for a new one, they understand the importance of being responsible in life. That’s the reason why I persuade my own kids to start collecting stamps of India so that they are not always wasting their time on mobile games or social media.

Basic Tips For New Collectors Looking To Collect Old Indian Coins

Nothing in life is constant but the most important things leaves a mark behind. Same is the case with old Indian coins. There is something mystical about them that keeps me passionate about numismatics. Very few of us know what numismatics actually means. It is a term given to the study of coins. People who engage in numismatics are known as numismatist. Every numismatist develop his or her own likes. For example, I specialise in Indian old coins from the ancient and medieval times.  The best part about this hobby is that you are continuously learning something new every day. Indian history has so much to explore that one lifetime would not suffice. The more you read about old Indian coins, the more there is to learn. One thing leads to the other, almost like solving a mystery. If you are new to this hobby and are wondering where to start, then I have some tips for you. Keep reading and let me know if you have any doubts or queries.

First thing first, pick a dynasty or a ruler that you admire the most. Then start reading about them. Most experts stress on the importance of buying good books before you buy coins. Numismatics is nothing if you are not acquiring knowledge on a constant basis. When I started off collecting ancient Indian coins, I remember my uncle telling me to start reading about the rulers who minted those coins. If you are simply thinking of hoarding up ancient coins of India to make some extra money, then you cannot be considered as a numismatist, you are just a dealer. The next thing you should start doing is search for people who are also interested in collecting Indian old coins. The internet today has helped in making this world a smaller place. It has become extremely easy to connect with a numismatist who is sitting at the other end of the world. As you start building your network and showcasing what you have, you are invariably going to start increasing the number of coins in your collection. And with every new addition of old Indian coins, you must also keep upgrading your knowledge accordingly.

These are very basic tips for someone who just wants to start building a collection of old Indian coins. Hope you like them!

It’s time to revive Stamp Collecting with good quality Stamp Collecting Supplies

Stamp collecting has sadly become a dying hobby. There was a time when kids were enthusiastic indulging in this hobby. If fact, I too used to take some time out and immerse myself in this amazing hobby of stamp collecting. Times have changed quickly in the recent decade with digitization. The web-world has engulfed each one of us and nobody has time for one’s own loved ones, forget about philately. People don’t really understand the benefits of making kids involved in stamp collecting. Through this medium, kids learn faster and enjoy the whole process of learning. Stamps in a way define a particular country. There is no better way of learn about these interesting aspects. Stamps depict everything from important personalities, historical events, wildlife, science, sports and more.

The moment you acquire a new stamp from someone, you would naturally want to learn about things that have been depicted on them. Another aspect that one should always consider is investing in the right kind of stamp collecting accessories. Good quality stamp collecting supplies will ensure that your stamps are way from any kind of dust or moisture. It also helps in organising your collecting in a better way. There are different kinds of philatelic supplies like stamp stockbooks, stamp binders, stamp stockpages etc. in the market. All you have to do is identify the best ones based on your requirement.

Image Courtesy: Mintage World

Stamps also have a lot of emotional sentiments attached with it. There are cases when a collector has to wait for several years to acquire a certain stamp from someone finally. That can happen only when you are slowly building your network the right way. You can use the web-revolution to stay in touch with someone who is at the other end of the world. Once you have made a good network of fellow collectors then building your collecting becomes even easier. As and when your collecting keeps growing, maintaining them starts becoming even more difficult. So it all depends on the kind of stamp collecting accessories that you invest in.

There is definitely a need to revive the beautiful hobby of stamp collection and also remember to get the best stamp collecting accessories so that they stay special always.

Passion Makes Me Want To Collect Antique Indian Coins

No matter how hard you try, a true collector will always find a way to stay in touch with his or her passion. Same is the case with me really. I have been collecting antique Indian coins since I was 10 years old. Today, I am 55 years old and still get as excited as a child when I hear about rare colonial coins of India. There is something about the hobby that keeps you young at heart always. Knowledge and an urge to keep learning new things bring in excitement in your life. The moment you start acting as if you know it all, you are going towards a dead end. I believe that knowledge is infinite; it all depends upon how deep you want to get into the subject. From the day I started reading about antique coins of India, I realised that numismatics is like an ocean that keeps growing bigger when you start exploring the depths of a certain topic. 

Like most other collectors of antique coins India, I too specialise in a certain type of coins called rare coins of British India. Many people think that “colonial coins” means the coins that were issued exclusively by the Britishers in India. The fact is not really true though. India was under the colonial rule of many other European countries like France, Dutch, Portugal etc. Each of them had their own territories and issued coins as well featuring different kinds of designs. Even though I am not someone who is a full time coin collector, I make it a point to devote some time for it at least every day for my hobby. It could be literally as less as half an hour or so, but something makes me want to read about colonial coins even today. 

Money has never been a motivation for me when it comes to collecting rarest coins of India. It has purely been my passion for knowing more and more about colonial coins that keeps me going.