How to Go about Building a Commendable Collection of Indian Notes

Currency notes in India are available today in different denominations like 1 rupee, 5 rupees, 10 rupees, 20 rupees, 50 rupees, 100 rupees, 500 rupees and 2000 rupees. Indian notes of the denomination 1000 rupees were banned in November 2017 along with the then-circulating 500 rupee notes. The decision was taken by PM Narendra Modi to curb black money. Notes of India of the denomination 2000 rupees is the latest addition in the family. Designs of Currency notes of India of the denomination rupees 10, rupees 50 and rupees 500 have been recently changed as well. History of Indian notes has always been fascinating, right from the first issues that were released during the colonial rule to the latest 2000 rupees notes. It gives you an idea about the economic condition of those times. Those who are interested in collecting and studying about currency notes of India, or any other country for that matter, are known as notaphilsts.

You will find different kinds of notaphilists. Some are interested in collecting uniface notes from British India, while there are many others who are on the lookout for modern notes of India with fancy serial numbers. You would be surprised to know that there are collectors who are willing to even pay lakhs of rupees for a single note with a fancy serial number. A lot depends on the condition of notes, their rarity and market demand.  That’s the reason why you should make sure that you are storing your collection of precious Indian notes in quality note collecting accessories so that their condition remains intact over several years. There is no use if you have rare notes of India in your collection but are unable to preserve their condition. Once a note is folded or is slightly torn, their market value reduces drastically!
    
There are a very few hobbies which not only give you immense joy but also increase your knowledge. Apart from patience and dedication, you also need to have an eye for noticing interesting serial numbers or combinations on banknotes. It is sometimes difficult to find old notes of India or rare notes of India. There is no point in getting frustrated. You can rather utilize the same time in researching about the history of Indian banknotes or searching Indian notes with unique serial numbers.

What has my love for old Indian coins given me in return!

What happens when you are sitting idle? All sorts of unwanted thoughts start troubling your mind. With time, we gradually get engulfed in depression and keep neglecting the situation until it has caused serious damage to your health. Keeping ourselves occupied in interesting hobbies can make us happy from within. Instead of watching TV or listening to songs, you can take up a more useful hobby like collecting old Indian coins. I was a small kid when I was introduced to an old coin of India by my grandfather. Ever since then, I developed a liking for ancient coins of India. I still have an eye for beautiful Indian old coins and take necessary steps every now and then for adding value to my collection.

Coming to the benefits of a hobby like collecting ancient Indian coins; it is definitely a unique way to get in touch with our glorious past and traditions. Reading history books can be very boring after a point. There is nothing like holding and feeling a sound evidence of history in your very hands. Youngsters of today’s times are busy wasting their time on the internet. A hobby like collecting Indian old coins can utilize your free time in the most fruitful manner. Another advantage of collecting Indian old coins is that they can fetch you a good amount if you sell them after a few years. A hobby can slowly turn into a business idea.

From the day I started collecting interesting ancient coins of India, I started researching about them on a daily basis. Nobody was after me, I was self motivated to do my research. Over the years, I not only increased my collection of old coins of India but also increased by knowledge base as well. As of now, I don’t have any plans to sell my collection of unique ancient Indian coins to anybody. They are so priceless for me that I might never be able to sell them off in the near future. But I do like interacting with like minded numismatists and understanding the market value of these lovely coins!

Preserve the Dying Hobby of collecting postcards with good quality Postcard Accessories!

Some pictures make a perfect memory. The best thing to do when you are missing your loved ones is take out those old photo albums and start reliving those amazing memories again. Same is the case with postcards; they are attached to a lot of emotions and moments from a particular travelogue. When someone is visiting a new destination, it was a trend to send special postcards from that location to loved ones. Almost like giving someone special a glimpse of what you are experiencing. The back sides of a postcard generally had space to write your message, a section to write the receiver’s address and a place to stick a postage stamp. They were generally sent directly without putting them inside envelopes.

There was a time when collecting postcards was very popular. Especially when people used to write letters for their dear ones! Times have changed quickly and nobody really feels the need to write down a letter. Why would someone do that when the digital world has opened up so beautifully! There are a million ways in which you can communicate with someone who is at the other end of the world today. One of the darker sides of this blooming technology is the gradual loss of interest in this hobby of collecting postcards. There are different kinds of imageries that go on postcards. Most of them are sceneries or important locations of a particular city. Others could be something very generic in nature.

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No matter what kinds of postcards that you are interested in collecting, make sure to buy the best quality postcard collecting supplies. Many a times what happens is that you tend to keep postcards haphazardly. In such situations, the chances of misplacing something interesting from your valuable collection are extremely high. To avoid such disastrous situations, it is best to invest in the right kind of postcard album, postcard collection album and postcard plastic pockets to best suit your requirements. This way, you are also ensuring that you are keeping your postcards in a more organised manner.

Collecting old postcards is also a dying hobby that only a few groups around the world are following. There is something special about an old heart-warming message written on a lovely postcard. Only those who are into this hobby passionately would know the importance of investing in good quality postcard accessories like postcard album, postcard collection album, postcard plastic pockets etc. What is the point if you have taken the pain of collecting your favourite postcards and a cup of tea spills over the entire collection! Before that nightmare actually happens, shop right away!

Stamps of India - a Reflection to our Vibrant Country

India is known all over the world for its vibrant cultures and rich history. From ancient times, the Indian subcontinent has been eyed by foreign invaders because of its wealth and natural resources. Even after independence, India has gained its respect because of its accommodating nature towards multiple ethnicity and religions.  Same is the case with geography, wildlife, architecture, art etc. When there are so many defining aspects of a country, imagine the variety of Indian stamps that our postal department might have released over the years. Stamps of India that were released before independence generally featured portraits of kings and queens. However, the ones that were released after independence touch upon various interesting topics. Topical collectors around the world are always on the lookout for these interesting and rare stamps of India.

First Day Covers of commemorative Stamps in India are also always on the limelight. Various collectors come up with their own ideas when it comes to First Day Covers. When these covers feature rare Indian stamps, their values in the Philatelic market also increases. You can begin by selecting a topic of your interest and start building a set for the same. For example, you will find several interesting Indian stamps that feature birds on them. If you are a nature lover then you will be keen on collecting these beautiful Old stamps of India Suppose you are into sports, then you can start by collecting some fascinating Indian stamps that celebrate different kinds of sports on them.

Children today are getting addicted by mobile games and videos on internet. By encouraging them to collect Indian Stamps, they will start increasing general knowledge. Once you start developing a liking for the hobby, you would naturally try to research about the imagery that is portrayed on Indian stamps.

There were times when stamp collecting was a popular hobby. But ever since internet communication has opened up in a grand new way, letters have become a thing of the past. There is a need to revive this beautiful and exciting hobby. Collecting and researching about rare stamps of India will not only give you joy but also will increase your knowledge about our motherland!

Misconceptions while Investing in Coin Collecting Accessories

If you love something or someone from your heart, you will leave no stone unturned to keep them safe and happy. Coins may not mean a lot for many of us, but for any passionate coin collector, coins are their world. They put in a lot of effort into research about coins. They also invest a lot of time and money into building their unique collection. That’s the reason why, they will also make sure that their coins are in safe hands always. Understanding the importance of quality coin collecting accessories is essential for every collector. Those who do not value their collection, end up degrading their coins over a period of several years.

There is a general misconception among collectors that since coins are made of metals, they would not be affected by anything. But the fact remains that when coins come in contact with any kind of moisture or dust, they turn blackish due to oxidisation. This is more commonly seen in silver coins. Experts from the field of numismatics have always advised that coins should be stored in quality coin collecting supplies. Rare coins should be handled with utmost care because you might have put in lakhs of rupees for buying them.

Another misconception that collectors have is that coins can be cleaned up later to revive their original sheen. What they forget is that cleaning by using corrosive methods can further degrade their value. It is best to be cautious from the beginning. Think about it. Would you stop taking care of your baby by saying that you would rectify problems when he or she grows up? 

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There are different kinds of coin collecting supplies that you will find in the market like coin albums, coin pages, coin capsules, coin holders, coin storage boxes etc. all of which, have their own functionalities. First, analyse your requirements and then go ahead buying the best affordable coin collecting accessories for your beloved collection.  This will preserve the sharpness of your coin designs for a lifetime.

If you don’t have a habit of storing your coins correctly and methodically, then there are chances that you might lose them as well. When you collection keeps on growing over a period of time, storing coins based on different categories becomes even more important! That’s where these amazing coin collection supplies come into the picture. 

So don’t live in your old bubble of misconceptions, buy quality coin collecting accessories right away!

Tracing history through Coins of Mahadji Shinde

Mahadji Shinde was a ruler of Gwalior State under the Maratha Empire. He was the one who was responsible for expanding Maratha power in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Coins of Mahadji Shinde are found in various types. One of the types of Mahadji Shinde coins is the silver rupee struck in the name of Shah Alam II struck at Gwalior Mint.

Mahadji Shinde was a lieutenant of the Peshwa. Madhavrao I, Nana Fadnavis and Mahadji Shinde helped greatly in reviving Maratha Power. Gwalior became the top state of Maratha Empire and had the biggest military power in India during Mahadji’s rule. He helped Shah Alam II restore the Mughals to Delhi in 1771.

Mahadji Shinde Coins are found in various fractions of rupee denomination as well. By studying these coins of Mahadji Shinde, you will get a clear idea about the economic condition of those times and also about his association with the Mughals. Coins of Mahadji Shinde were struck at Gwalior mint. Mahadji Shinde coins of the denomination 1 rupee weighed 11.25 gm, had a diameter or around 22 to 23 mm. The Legend on coins of Mahadji Shinde named Shah Alam. They also featured the AH date and mint name: Gwalior Fort.

 After overpowering the Jats of Mathura, he defeated the Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad in 1772 and 1773. He was the biggest threat to the British during the First Anglo-Maratha War which ended with the Treaty of Salbai in 1782. The treaty allowed him to mediate between the Peshwa and the British. It recognized Sawai Madhavrao as the Peshwa and granted Raghunath Rao a pension. All his territories west of the Yamuna along with Ujjain were given back.

He later attacked Rajput states like Jodhpur and Jaipur. Sikh sardars of the cis-Sutlej region also paid tributes to him. Mahadji defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad’s army, after which the Nizams restricted itself in the Deccan region. He signed a peace treaty with Tipu Sultan in 1792. He later used his influence to protect Tipu Sultan in a treaty between the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Peshwa.

Mahadji Shinde history can be beautifully traced back through his coinage. That’s the reason why numismatics plays such a vital role in exploring the unknown facts hidden in the pages of history.

Why is there a Demand for Antique Coins of India?

Antique objects have a charm of their own. They are preserved over a period of several years and become even more attractive as they keep aging. There is huge group of people across the world which is very interested in collecting antique coins of India. They are in great demand in the world of numismatics because of their historical significance. Some of the rarest coins of India including rare coins of British India have been sold by auction houses for a lot of money. That’s the reason why antique Indian coins sometimes are collected for investment purposes. Businessmen and dealers buy these rare coins in India and sell them off after a few years when their value appreciates.

Rare coins of British India come under a wide category of colonial coins. Coins minted under the
Another important aspect about collecting antique Indian coins is the source of information. Make sure that you are not learning the wrong things by referring the wrong source of Information. Always take a second opinion from experts before purchasing the rarest coins of India.  Some of these experts have been in this field for several years which is why they would notice something in a coin which you might have not noticed. Even they would have committed mistakes during the starting years, which is why sharing knowledge with younger collectors develops goodwill within the community.
So it is time to start building your collection of antique Indian coins right away.

regime of France, Dutch, Portuguese rules also come under this category. If you want to start collecting antique Indian coins, then select a category of your choice and study about them deeply. Research is something that gives you an upper hand in this field of numismatics. When you are backed by knowledge, then you are sure that no dealer can ever fool you. Many a times the value of certain antique coins of India is increased on purpose even though they are not rare. If you have done your research about rare coins of British India, then you can you will never buy common coins at a higher value.