Collector’s Closet

Bhat had undertaken collecting a set of coins named as the 50 State Quarters Program of the United States where in the U.S.,Mint in a ten year programme,started issuing five state quarters (25 cents) every year from 1998 to 2008 . Through a series of circulating quarters the programme aimed to honour the individual 50 states that form the United States.

Though more of a numismatist at heart Bhat has has been into collecting not only coins but also lapel pins and ganesha idols . As a nine – year – old it was the memory of the the two annas that made him indulge into his recent passion. “ Itwas when we got independence. Then I looked for two annas only to buy sevchura and tea. One day my mother told me it is not only two annas but a token of your independence . It then strike me.At 70,Bhat,who also is the president of International Collectors of Rare Items,feels collecting things is a passion so intense that it makes one pursue it at any cost.

From chasing merchant navy people to making rounds of foreign embassies to trace the whereabouts of his desired objects,Bhat has been there and done it all. “For the collection of world coins I have requested the merchant navy people to bring the coins to me. Isle of man and few other islands do not have their coins in the world market so to get the coins you will have to go there,” explains Bhat.

Just after collecting over 832 wildlife coins Bhat found his new love,which was collection of US quarters. “Each of the five state quarters were released every year in the same order the states were admitted to the union. “The quarters depicted some speciality of that state,such as natural or man-made state landmarks,landscapes,historically significant buildings,symbols of state resources or industries,official flora and fauna,state icons like New York Statue of Liberty,Texas Lone Star,Wyoming bronco,etc. Apart from the year the state was founded the quarters also have maps of states ,” shares Bhat

His achievement is even more commendable because he completed the 10-year programme on December 31,2008 which is the year the programme ended,whereas many people in the U S,like his daughter,are still to complete their sets.

All coins are mounted on a specially designed Map of the U.S. which,has a cutout of the size of a quarter on each state and where each quarter is inserted. The map comes with an authenticity certificate from the U S Mint.