Coin fair gains currency

Coins from the era of Chandragupta Maurya and the Roman empires are among the most prized exhibits at the fair.

D N Hegde,founder member of MCS and himself a numismatist since 2002,said the exhibition aimed at showcasing India’s heritage. “Many of the coins displayed have a fascinating history. While some have been passed on through generations,others have been bought by collectors and have stories of their travel through centuries hidden in them,” said Hegde,a lawyer and senior audit inspector with Bombay Port Trust.

Hegde started MCS in 2002 and it was registered in 2006. “We have people from different walks of life as members. There are doctors,engineers and IAS officers,” he said.

“We invited Reserve Bank of India,public sector banks,General Post Office,Monetary Museum,research institutes and scholars to be part of the fair,” said Hegde. “Last year,we sold a coin from the Chandragupta Maurya era to a collector for around Rs 9 lakh,” said Hegde.

Asked about his favourites from his collection of over 60,000 coins,Hegde said,“It’s tough to choose a few. I love all my coins,” said Hegde.

megha.sood@expressindia.com