Collection and exhibition of old and new coins and currency notes is an art. We can improve our knowledge by observing coins and notes from different countries, said Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah.

He was speaking after inaugurating the three-day state level 125th exhibition of coins and currency notes at Field Marshal K M Kariappa Multipurpose Hall in Madikeri on Friday. The exhibition had been jointly organised by the Kannada and culture department, zilla panchayat, CMC, Kodagu Press Club, BSNL, Shakthi Prathishtana, Rotary Misty Hills, Corporation Bank, Sumukh Traders and others.

Bopaiah lauded the efforts of numismatist P K Keshavmurthy and called it an achievement to collect coins which were as old as 2,000 years.

“It is not an easy task to collect so many coins and notes. For the first time, I have got an opportunity to see notes and coins from India and other nations,” he said.

Zilla panchayat health standing committee president Kanthi Belliyappa said it requires unlimited patience and interest to collect and maintain coins and notes. ZP president Shanteyanda Ravi Kushalappa released a book on rare collection of coins and notes.

Numismatist Keshavmurthy said coins and note collection was a tedious task. “For the last 20 years, I have been visiting different parts of the state and exhibiting my collection,” he said.

CMC commissioner Shashi Kumar, assistant director for Kannada and culture Vinod Chandra and others were present. Keshavmurthy was felicitated on the occasion.

Varieties

The exhibition has several specialties, as rarest of rare coins too were on display. They include the first punchmark coin of India, coins from Greek, Roman kingdoms, coins that were circulated during Kushana, Gupta, Shathavahana, Kadamba, Chola, Pandya and other dynasties. The coins during the time of Mughal rulers like Akbar, Jehangir, Shahajahan, Aurangzeb, Vijayanagara rulers Krishnadevaraya, Achyutharaya, Prathapadevaraya, Mysore, Bijapur, Thiruvankoor, Hyderabad, Kach, Baroda, Mewar and other rulers.

The coins of pre-independence era, which were circulated during the rule of British, Portuguese, the coins and notes that have been withdrawn, coins and notes released on various occasion are on display.