Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Banknote Accessories of Well-known Brands Can Make a Big Difference!

Do you have an interesting collection of rare banknotes or are you planning to pursue this hobby? If yes, then you must take care of your collectibles so that they do not come in contact with dust or moisture. When banknotes are exposed to these external elements, there are chances that they would lose its original colours. Apart from that, there are chances that they could get folded or torn. You should be aware that the condition of banknotes matters a lot when it comes to auctions. The market value of a particular rare banknote not only depends on uniqueness or rarity. You wouldn’t want the market value of your precious collection to start deteriorating with time. That’s the reason why, you should always store your banknotes in quality branded banknote accessories. They will ensure that your notes do not come in contact with moisture or dust of any kind.

Image Courtesy: www.mintageworld.com
Banknote collecting supplies come in different varieties such as a Banknote album or banknote sleeves. There are various brands and companies which produce banknote accessories. The problem with local brands is that the quality of these products is very poor. I have personally read many reviews of people who have purchased a banknote collecting album of a local brand and have regretted their decision. Yes, it is true that banknote sleeves and banknote albums produced by better brands are costlier, but they are more durable as they are made of high quality material. What is the point when you have to buy new banknote collecting supplies every now and then? It is always better to go with trusted brands whose products will invariably last longer. You will also find a lot of options online. There is no need to visit a store; simply click a few buttons on your mobile phone and the product will be delivered at your door steps.

Collectors who take things lightly might have to repent later. Like they say “prevention is better than cure”, it is always advisable to buy quality banknote collecting supplies so that you can earn good profits in the long run. And like mentioned earlier, always look for the best brands.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Coins of India that Everyone Desire

 “Coins of India” is a topic that is discussed widely among numismatists all over the world. The reason why they are so popular is because of the historical stories that they hold. Based on the time period, these amazing Indian coins can be categorized into four major categories namely, Ancient, Medieval, Colonial and Modern. Let’s take a look at some examples from each category.
Gandhara Janapada existed from 600 BC to 300 BC. They issued rectangular-shaped punch-marked coins of the denomination 1 Shatamana. These coins of India were struck on around 11.5 grams of silver and featured two 6-petal flowers at both the ends. These coins are also considered as the oldest in the world.

Magadha Janapada existed from 600 BC to 550 BC. They issued silver coins of the denomination Vimshatika weighing somewhere around 5.5 grams. These punch-marked coins feature Six-armed symbol, Sun symbol and two abstract symbols on the reverse.  If you are looking for a rare Indian coin, then you could add one of these to your collection. The Kashi Janapada issued punch-marked silver coins of the denomination 5 Shanas between 600 BC and 525 BC. These rare Indian coins featured two abstract symbols and two flowers. 
When it comes to medieval period coins of India, you can look for octagonal-shaped Ahom coins issued under Jayadhvaja Simha. They were denominated as rupee and were struck in the year 1570.  The Obverse featured the text Sri Sri Hari Hara Charana Parayanasya while the Reverse depicted the text Sri Sri Svarga Naraya Nasya Sake 1570. These are extremely rare coins in India which are very difficult to find.
Then there is the round Hon gold coin issued under Shivaji Maharaj the great. The obverse features
This is just the beginning; there are several other amazing Indian coins that can make your collection out of this world!

the text Shri Raja Shiva while the reverse depicts the inscription Chhatrapati. Won’t it be an honour to own coins issued by one of the greatest warriors of Indian history? You can also search for beautiful coins from the Paramaras of Malwa dynasty issued under the ruler Udayaditya. This Gold Dinar weighed around 4.07. The obverse featured Goddess Lakshmi seated with cross legs. The reverse depicted the Nagari legend 'Srimad Gangeyyadeva'.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Tips to Build a Unique Collection of Currency Notes in India

Notaphilists are always on the lookout for ways in which their collection can be enhanced. If you are wondering how you can make your collection of Indian notes unique, then you can start by adding different varieties. For that, you would first have to understand the broad categories of currency notes in India. The history of Indian Notes starts with early banknotes that were issued by various presidencies established by East India Company. Then we have British India notes that were issued when our country was officially declared as a colony of England. You can also search for Colonial issues that were released by other European powers. Hyderabad had also issued separate currency notes which are termed as Princely state issues. Finally we have the republic notes of India which were issued after independence.


If you are into collecting rare notes of India then you can make it more exciting by adding examples from each of these categories. You could also later segregate your collection based on time period or category. Among early banknotes you could look for the beautiful Bank of Hindostan issue for Bengal presidency. The 20 rupees note was unifaced and featured Intricate red design over a black imprint on the borders. The year of issue is absent on these Indian notes made of handmade white paper. The oval vignette on the left features a personified Ganga, while that on the right features a mahout on an elephant. A watermark shows Ashoka Pillar on the left.

You can also seek the 10 rupees British India Note issued for the Calcutta circle on 9th May 1862. The uniface note featured the signature of H. Hydes and a prefix A. The note features a portrait of Queen Victoria in a floral wreath. Other important texts include 'Government of India'. Denomination is featured in both words and numerals in two languages namely, Bangla and Persian. The watermark includes the text GOVERNMENT OF INDIA in bold letters on top. These rare notes of India also feature the signature of the finance member of legislative Council - Sir james Wilson and that of the Governor General - Lord canning.

There are hundreds of other varieties when it comes to old notes of India. You will have to keep researching about these wonderful rare notes of India if you really want to build an impressive collection.


Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Disciplined Collectors Always Buy Quality Philatelic Supplies

There are many people, especially children who want to get into stamp collecting. It is truly an exciting hobby. But if you really want to become a good collector, you must be disciplined and must follow certain rules of philately. The first and foremost rule is that you must be passionate about the hobby. Don’t simply collect stamps just for the sake of it.  You must take some effort and research about the imagery shown on these stamps. You must enhance your knowledge as you keep enhancing your collection. A true collector loves his collection like crazy. He or she would ensure that their precious stamps are stored in good quality stamp collecting supplies. They can’t stand it when amateur collectors out there do not take care of their collection.

Image Courtesy: www.mintageworld.com
So why is it so important to store stamps safely? If you are looking to invest in rare postage stamps then you should be aware that their value depends majorly on their condition. Stamps that are soiled, folded or torn would not fetch you a good stamp. If you are really expecting that the value of a particular stamp would appreciate with time then you should also store them in stamp collecting accessories like a stamp collection album, stamp stockbooks, stamp binders or stamp stockpages. The moment stamps are exposed to moisture or dust, there are chances that their true colours would fade away. Even if you are not looking to invest in rare postage stamps, why would you want your collection to become dull after a few years?

There is no doubt about the fact that stamp collecting is a fun hobby. But one must be also serious about how he or she pursues the hobby. If you really have a liking for the hobby then you must invest in good quality philatelic supplies right from the beginning. When you start respecting the hobby of collecting stamps, you will gain some respect in return. Put in some heart into it and you will love each and every process associated with this amazing hobby. If you keep the right mix of fun and discipline then you are destined to become a great collector!

Monday, April 9, 2018

Variety of Modern Indian Coins that Collectors can Seek

There is a general misconception among young coin collectors that there is not much to explore when it comes to modern coins of India. This is not at all true. There are various categories of modern Indian coins that collectors can look for. Let’s take a look at the two broad categories of modern period coins of India so that you get some kind of a reference point to start collecting.

Anna series and Republic of India Decimal Coinage are the two major categories that you should be aware about. Did you know that old British Coins were still circulated in Independent India after 15th August 1947 as well? These coins are termed as frozen currency. The first 1 rupee coin was minted in 1950 after the constitution was formed. Modern India coins like 1/2 Re, 1/4 Re, 2 Anna, 1 Anna, 1/2 Anna & 1 Pice coins fall under the Anna series. 1 pice coins issued in 1950 were struck in bronze and featured a galloping horse on the reverse.

The decimal system for Indian coins was introduced in 1957. However, both decimal and non-decimal coins were circulated together for a short period of time. Modern coins of India that were minted between 1957 and 1964 featured the legend “Naya Paise”. Denominations like 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50 naya paise were circulated. This legend was discontinued in 1964. 5 paise coins that were issued in 1976 were made of aluminium and was square shaped.

Certain experiments were also made like 3 paise and 20 paise coins. However, they were not popular. 1, 2 and 3 paise coins were slowly removed from circulation in 1970s. Did you know that 2 rupee coins were introduced in 1982 to replace 2 Rs. Notes? These coins were only minted again in 1990.

Modern Indian coins made of stainless steel bearing denominations 10, 25 and 50 paise were introduced in 1988. A new lighter rupee stainless steel coin was minted in 1992. In the same year 5 Rupees Cupronickel coin was also released in 1992 while 10 rupees were released in 2005.

Apart from these, there is a wide range of commemorative modern Indian coins that collectors can look out for!