Banknote Collecting Supplies and Their Evolution

There is a huge community of people out there who have been collecting banknotes since a lot of years now. The hobby itself might have seen a lot of changes over the years. The items of desire in this hobby also keep changing with time. With respect to general inflation, market value of these banknotes has also shot up gradually. 20 dollars meant a lot back in those days; however, you won’t get to make a decent purchase with that amount today. Amidst all these changes, a few things have remained constant in this hobby. That one thing is the importance of condition and rarity. Banknotes which are preserved well will definitely fare better at auctions a few years down the line. That’s the reason why, the importance of banknote collecting supplies has not faded throughput the years. Every collector wants his or her collection of banknotes to stay as fresh as ever so that they can reap better benefits later on.

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There were limited types of banknote collecting supplies and banknote accessories some thirty forty years back. Today there is a wide variety of banknote albums and banknote sleeves that you will find in the market. Not just that, there were fewer options to buy back then because only some dealers used to sell these items. These days you will find all kinds of varieties online when it comes to selecting a banknote collection album. Quality would vary depending on the brand you choose. There are certain highly trusted brands in this category which have made their mark in producing good quality banknote collecting supplies. Pricing would also vary accordingly. There is no point in opting for a poor quality local brand. I knew a friend who bought a banknote album from the local flee market. He had to pay the price for it later when some of his precious banknotes got spoilt after coming in contact with moisture. Spend some money now so that you won’t have to repent later on.

When you are living in the 21st century, why not make the most of the technological developments that these times are offering in the field of notaphily as well!

Make Your Kids Fall in Love with Coins of India

Certain things age gracefully with time. No, I am not talking about my grandmother. I am referring to my collection of old Indian coins. With every passing year, they seemingly become more precious. You will be surprised to know how many centuries these beautiful coins of India have lived through after which they have fallen into my hands. I consider myself to be lucky that way. It truly becomes your responsibility to take care of these pieces of history and pass on your hobby to the next generation. It is sometimes difficult to make kids realize the importance of history, especially when they are sucked into their video games and cartoon series. But you must not give up. Find other interesting ways in which kids can be taught about coins in India along with the interesting stories hidden in them.

Stories are something kids would always be interested in. We as parents have to be as creative as possible so that they learn certain important aspects about our history from time to time. You can then show them an interesting Indian coin from your collection. This way, they would be able to relate to what they are studying. Mugging up answers from history textbooks can be taxing not just for kids but for adults as well. Introduce them to the hobby of coin collecting and motivate them to start building their own collection of Indian coins. Once they add a new Indian coin to their collection, you can discuss in detail about the emperor or dynasty who issued them. For example, if they get to see a Gupta Era coin, then you can teach them about Samudra Gupta, Art and Architecture of that era, Literature and scholars from that time period etc.

People generally do not assess the seriousness of this problem carefully. As Indians are quickly adopting western cultures, our rich heritage and tradition face a real big danger of getting extinct one day. It is very important to revive the history of our land so that the present generation starts valuing it. By studying coins of India, children would start taking keen interest in history which will indirectly help us achieve this goal.

Collect Antique Coins of India to Become Financially Independent

There are some friends who keep asking me why I like collecting antique coins of India. When I tell them that I have been making a lot of money by investing in the rare coins in India, they do not even believe me. In today’s times, it takes a lot of courage to do something unconventional. I was doing a

nine-to-five job in an IT company, but was always passionate about collecting antique Indian coins. I also dreamt of becoming more independent financially some day. After working in the corporate sector for almost 4 years, I realized that a secured job is not my cup of tea. I analyzed my situation completely and also toyed with several start up ideas. Finally, it occurred to me that I can combine my passion for collecting rare Indian coins with my desire for complete financial independence. I decided to quit my job and invest some part of my savings for buying rare coins of British India.

Initially, I met with a lot of resistance from my family members and friends. They literally thought that I would end up becoming completely broke. But, I stood with my dream and kept on researching

about colonial coins and other rare coins in India. After I had built a considerably big collection of Interesting coins, I started looking for auction events and probable buyers. In my free time, I used to research about antique Indian coins so that I was aware about their market value. Every time I went to a dealer, I knew how much to quote because of my backing of sound knowledge. There have been instances when coin dealers have tried to fool me. However, I never fell in their trap because I knew the worth of my antique Indian coin collection.

When I look back today, I think I took the right decision at the right time. Some of my friends and family members who laughed at me back then, have a lot of respect for me today. So if you are really passionate about collecting rare coins in India, then you can always consider making it your profession.


    

How to Identify Categories of Old Indian Coins

As a collector, I think one must work towards building a quality collection of old Indian coins. Randomly adding coins to your collection will only make it bigger in size. Apart from that, anybody and everybody can build such a collection of Indian old coins. If you really want to earn respect in the field of numismatics or coin collection, you should constantly be seeking more interesting coins. For that, you will definitely have to invest some time in researching about these historical coins of India.

In order to get a hang of things, you can start by segregating ancient Indian coins based on their time period or era. For example, coins issued by various ancient janapadas can form one category. These beautiful ancient coins of India date back to 6th century as well. The most famous ones are those coins which were issued under Magadha-Mauryan Janapada. There were many other janapadas such as Gandhara, Kuntala, Ayodhya etc. If you truly love your hobby then you will find unique ways of building a collection of these Janapada coins.

Next, you could move on to old coins of India that were issued by ancient invaders. The most famous coins from this category in the world of numismatics are the ones issued by Kushans, Indo-Greeks
and Indo-Scythians. You could also categorize your coins based on different kingdoms and dynasties like the Gupta, Satavahanas, etc. Ancient Indian coins from the southern part of the subcontinent include the ones issued by Banwasis, Cholas, Pandyas etc.

When you are collecting coins based on category, it is but obvious that you would also have to undertake that much more research. Your collection will also look much better and diverse in that

case. When you add a coin that belongs to a new dynasty, you would naturally start upgrading your knowledge about that particular dynasty. This is how your knowledge also keeps growing along with your collection. There is no fun in building a collection of random coins. It is only when you take some effort that you will truly understand the joy of collecting rare historical coins. So identify your liking, create your own categories and start building a unique collection.

How Stamp Collecting Supplies Can be Your Saving Grace!

Times change and with that change trends as well. Stamp collection was a very popular hobby at one point in time when letters were the only means of communication. But with the advent of technology, connecting with someone has become just a matter of few clicks. That’s the reason why there is a sharp decline in the number of people who engage themselves in this exciting pastime. Youngsters should be encouraged to revive this dying hobby and that I guess is the need of the hour. There is so much to learn when you study about postage stamps. From culture, traditions, history to inventions, people and places, every stamp depicts something which represents the true essence of a country. Along with the importance of the hobby, kids should also be told about the importance of keeping their collection of stamps safe from any kind or dust or moisture. And for that, you would have to invest in quality Philatelic supplies.

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Stamp collecting accessories come in different shapes and sizes like stamp collection albums, stamp stockbooks, stamp binders, stamp stockpages etc. Based on what your requirements are, you will have to pick the right ones. This will ensure that your priceless collection of stamps stays fresh with respect to their colours. Moreover, stamps that are stored in quality stamp collecting supplies would not get folded or torn. If your stamps have even the slightest of folds, they will not be looked at or even considered by potential buyers. If you start collecting stamps now, there could be a time when you will acquire a really rare stamp. You might want to sell them off after a few years. If you are negligent and are not disciplined, then there are chances that you might lose this precious stamp. But if you have taken the effort and purchased quality stamp collection albums, then you can be rest assured that your stamp will remain the same even after many years.

What I always advice young philatelist is that collecting stamps should be considered as a long term investment. You never know what you will add to your kitty or who is going to come looking for you just to buy a special stamp that very few own. When there are so many ifs and possibilities, the only thing you can be responsible about is storing your valuable stamps in good quality stamp collecting accessories!

How to Classify Antique Indian Coins like Colonial Coins

Antique coins of India have always been the favorites among numismatists and coin collectors all over the world. From ancient coins to rare coins of British India, each one of them has a lot of historical value and significance. Today, let us take a brief look at the colonial coins that were issued when the Indian subcontinent was under the reign of different foreign powers. Rare coins in India that were struck during this time period have been sold at auction houses for handsome amounts. If we have to broadly classify these antique Indian coins, then we can categorize them as follows: Dutch East India Company, Danish East India Company, French East India Company, British Colony, Madras Presidency coins, Bengal Presidency coins, Bombay Presidency coins, British India, Indo-Portuguese, Kingdom of Portugal, Republic of Portugal and Ceylon. Surprised to know about so many categories? Many collectors have a misconception that colonial coins are the coins that are issued only under British India, which is incorrect.

 With so many options available, you can look towards enhancing your collection of antique Indian coins by making it more diverse and unique. Rare coins of British India produced during the East India Company days can be broadly classified as those that were issued under Queen Victoria (1838 to 1853) and the ones that were issued under William IV (1837 -1837). After that, India was divided into presidencies for administrative purposes. These three presidencies, namely Bombay, Bengal and Madras, started issuing their own coins. These were followed by British India coins that were issued under various rulers like Victoria Queen, Victoria Empress, Edward VII, George V and GEORGE VI.  Indi-Portuguese old coins of India were struck under the regime of various kings and emperors like, Alfonso VI, Joao, Pedro IV, Pedro III, etc.  There is so much to explore really.

Yes, it is very difficult to own the rarest coins of India as they have a high demand and are extremely expensive. However, you can definitely keep growing your collection by adding other coins that belong to various other rarely-known and unique categories.  Once you start reading about the above mentioned categories, you will definitely know what to look for!

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.