Ancient Coins of India and their broad classifications

Collectors from all around the world have a fascination for old Indian coins. Many of these ancient coins of India were issued thousands of years ago by various kingdoms and emperors. Indian old coins from the Magadha Mauryan empire speak a lot about the richness of Indian traditions and cultures. They suggest the existence of highly civilized societies within the Indian subcontinent right from ancient times. Moreover, these ancient Indian coins also suggest that the Indian subcontinent was had some of the wealthiest kingdoms of its times.

Ancient coins of India can be classified based on the various janapadas that existed during those days. Gandhara, Magadha, Magadha-mauryan, Kashi, Kuntala and Ayodhya formed the earliest Janapadas starting from 600 BCE. Then there were invaders like Greco-Bactrian, Indo-Greeks, Indo – Scythian, Kushan, Indo – Parthian, Indo Sassanian, Huns etc. who minted coins under their regime as well. The designs, motifs, inscriptions of ancient Indian coins were unique and represented the ruling kingdom which issued them. There is so much to explore that a single lifetime wouldn’t be sufficient to learn about them.

Then there were Mighty kingdoms under the Guptas, Western Kshatrapas and Satavahanas, each of which issued beautiful Indian Old Coins. If you thought that there were powerful kingdoms only in the north, then you are wrong. Old Coin of India struck under south Indian empires like Cholas, Pandyas and Pallavas suggest that the Indian subcontinent maintained strong trade relations with foreign lands as well. There were influential city states as well like Mathura, Rajgir, Kolhapur, Ayodhya, Ujjain, Taxila etc., many of which had their own unique coinage. 

Numismatics in India is really exciting. Every coin allows you to understand history at a deeper level. What we have been taught in school is nothing when compared with the number of ancient dynasties that ruled over the Indian subcontinent.

Banknote Collecting Supplies – Saviour for Every Note Collector!

Hobbies allow you to escape from reality and enter into a fantasy world. They help in releasing your stress and recharging your batteries. Different people indulge in different kinds of hobbies, based on their likes and dislikes. Some like listening to music while others take up gardening as a pastime. Collecting banknotes is also a popular hobby that many people from around the world indulge in. Some look for unique designs while there are many who look for unique serial numbers. The most important aspect of collecting banknotes is retaining the condition of your precious collectibles. Condition is what defines the market value of any banknote. Old and rare banknotes that are in great condition can be sold for impressive amounts at auction houses all over the world. On the other hand, even the slightest of folds or tears can bring down the value of your rare banknote drastically!

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The responsibility of a collector does not end after adding a new interesting banknote to their collection. He or she needs to take an effort and preserve the condition of these notes as well. Good quality branded banknote collecting supplies and banknote accessories help in retaining the condition of your valuable collectibles for a long period of time. That’s the reason why, investing in the right kind of banknote collectors album, banknote storage box or banknote sleeves is extremely crucial for any collector.

Banknote collecting supplies can be categorised based on your requirement. If you are looking for something that helps in categorising your banknotes based on different parameters like time period, country name etc, you can go for a banknote collectors album. If you are looking for something that will simply keep your banknotes safe from any kind or dust or moisture then you can opt for a banknote storage box. Banknote sleeves can be purchased separately as and when you keep building your collection. These sleeves can later be added to your album as well.

There are different kinds of banknote accessories that you will find online. You need to select one based on what your requirements are. Besides that, you should go for branded banknote collecting supplies as they are much more durable than the other local brands that are available in the market.

If you truly admire your collection and want to take up this hobby more seriously then you wouldn’t waste any more time and will invest in good quality banknote accessories right away!

Types of Old Indian Notes that Notaphilists look for

There are several passionate Notaphilist in our country who loves collecting interesting Indian Notes. They follow different themes based on the era in which these currency notes in India were issued. Notes of India can be broadly classified into five categories namely Early Banknotes, British India, Princely states, colonial issues and republic India notes. The kind of notes that a Notaphilist wants to collect is based on personal likes and interests.

There are many others who look for Rare Notes of India with unique serial number. There is another group of collectors who are keen on studying different imageries and motifs on Old Notes of India. No matter which category you fall into, this History of Indian Notes is really exciting and equally fascinating. If you are a true collector, you wouldn’t be satisfied by simply adding Rare Notes of India in your collection. You will take some effort in learning about the historical significance hidden behind these Currency Notes in India. By studying about issue limits and serial numbers of banknotes, you can understand the rarity of notes in your collection. Only if you are aware about these facts, would you will be given your due respect in this community.  

Early banknotes of India can be further classified into specific issues released by the three different presidencies namely, Bengal, Bombay and Madras. British India notes can be categorized into Portrait Note of Queen Victoria, Uniface Note of Government of India, King George V and King George VI. When it comes to old Indian notes issued by Princely states, Hyderabad was the only princely state that released its own Currency Notes of India. Other colonial issues include amazing Indo-French and Indo-Portuguese notes. There are many rare notes of India falling in these categories which have been sold for impressive amounts in auction houses all over the world. And finally, Republic India Notes can be further classified as Government of India issues, Indian Notes released under Reserve Bank of India, Persian Gulf issues and Haj Pilgrim notes.

With so many varieties to look forward to, collecting and studying about Rare Indian Notes is a dream for any Notaphilist!

An Online Museum of Coins with a Difference!

There are some hobbies that don’t just bring joy into our lives. They also help in upgrading our knowledge in some or the other way. Hobbies like coin collection, banknote collection and stamp collection fall under this category.

Passionate collectors make it a point to research about everything that they are collecting. In the age of internet, finding information is just a matter of a few searches and clicks. Authenticity of data is what really matters, especially when it comes to historical information about coins. Apart from that, you won’t find many websites that share all the information you need under one single roof. Mintage world is a one of a kind online museum of coins, banknote museum and stamp museum which offers well-categorized data like never before. It is a paradise for coin collectors, researchers, numismatists, notaphilists, philatelists, historians, students and everyone else who wants to indulge in these exciting hobbies. It allows you to search and filter out data based on multiple parameters.  In case of coins, you can search based on era, rulers, type of coin etc. Similarly, in the case of stamps, you can search based on themes, time periods etc. With respect to banknotes, filers like issue date, denomination, country name etc. make the process of research much simpler.

Moreover, this online museum of coins shares detailed information about all types of coins with obverse/ reverse descriptions, high resolution images, history and much more. Now philatelists or stamp lovers wouldn’t have to look into multiple websites. They can access all that they need through this single online stamp museum. The online banknote museum on Mintage World covers information about all types of Indian banknotes, right from the colonial issues to the republic notes of India. Not just that, the website also lists upcoming events so that you won’t miss any. There are other sections like news, blog, videos, shopping, etc which add value to this unique online museum of coins, online banknote museum and stamp museum.

Good Quality Coin Collecting Accessories Matter to Better Collectors

They say you should respect and take care of your most priced belongings. A passionate coin collector invests his or her heart and soul into their hobby. Their collection means the world to them. Even a not-so-rare coin could have a special place in their heart. A true collector will always make it a point to invest in the right kind of coin collecting supplies. You will find many local brands which offer different types of coin collecting accessories. What differentiates local brands from other international brands is the quality of products. Branded coin collecting supplies like coin albums, coin pages, coin capsules, coin holders and coin storage boxes are definitely more durable. You will not have to worry about buying these coin collecting accessories for the next five to ten years. What would you rather prefer? Buying cheap coin collecting supplies once in a few months or investing in more durable quality coin collecting accessories? If you are smart enough, you will surely make a wise decision.

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There are many amateur collectors out there who are very careless. They wouldn’t realise their mistake till they lose their precious collection. Besides that, when coins are constantly in contact with moisture or dust, they lose their original lustre due to oxidation. This is a frequent phenomenon when it comes to silver coins. You might have also noticed that silver ornaments lose their lustre with time due to oxidation. If you do not take appropriate measures at the right time, then your coins would end up looking really ugly. And when that happens you wouldn’t be proud of showcasing your collection to anybody around you. I would advice to all those young and new collectors out there to buy good quality coin albums, coin pages, coin capsules, coin holders or coin storage boxes based on your requirements if they don’t want to repent later on. Moreover, if you still have the habit of storing coins in a haphazard way, the chances of losing them is much higher. If you are a responsible collector your will take the pains of arranging your collecting of coins in a systematic way based on themes, denominations etc.

If you really want to take this hobby seriously and want to go a long way in the field of numismatics then don’t think twice before buying the right kind of coin accessories for your collection. Like every child deserves a loving mother, coins too deserve your love and affection.

Why understanding historical significance of Rare Coins in India is essential?

Have you ever wondered why antique coins of India have a lot of respect among numismatic communities all over the world? That’s purely because of the rich historical stories that these antique Indian coins carry along with them. Even though the value of a coin majorly depends on its rarity and condition, there are several instances where the rarest coins of India have been sold for impressive amounts just because of their historical significance. That’s the reason why, every collector should be keen on researching about the historical facts hidden behind these coins. The more you dive into our glorious past, the more you would be amazed! Apart from ancient Indian coins, rare coins of British India and colonial coins have been in the spotlight for quite some time in the numismatic communities now. Being an Indian collector, you should definitely make the most of these wonderful opportunities. Collectors are willing to invest a lot of money into them since they can be easily sold for a higher value, a few years down the line.

You should always be wary of distributors who claim to offer the rarest coins of India. Only if you analyze them deeply, you might find out that they are not so rare. It is always better to take advice from well-known and experienced collectors before investing in expensive antique Indian coins. Expert numismatists can easily make out whether a coin is actually rare or not, since they are backed with sound knowledge about history. You wouldn’t want to put in thousands of rupees into so-called “rare coins of British India” and later realize that their actual market value is not that high.  
Apart from British Indian coins, there are many interesting colonial coins that were issued by other colonies that were established in India like Dutch, Portuguese and French. Many of these antique coins of India are highly sought after by collectors and investors alike. So follow the mantra of understanding history before adding new coins to your collection!