Ganesha coins minted in Germany

Dubbed as the first "currency coin" on Lord Ganesha, a limited collectors' edition minted in Germany is being issued by the government of the Ivory Coast in West Africa.

The coins from Germany's Mayer mint are made of pure silver with a coloured image of Lord Ganesha on 'peepal' leaves inscribed with the Sanskrit 'sloka' 'Vakratunda Mahakaya'.

Weighing 25 gm, the SWAROVSKI crystal studded FRANCS CFA 1001 coin is available for booking at Rs 8,001 and will be delivered on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on September 9.

The Ganesha coins have not been issued by any government and are therefore treated as bullion unlike commemorative currency coins which have a much higher value.

"There is a lot of demand for Ganesha coins in India. But since the Indian Mint generally doesn't make coins on religious figures, we do not have any currency coin on Ganesha. This will be the first such non-circulating currency coin," numismatist Alok K Goyal who runs A G Impex told PTI.

Kolkata-based firm AG IMPEX, which has the sole rights for marketing the coins internationally, today started accepting orders for the commemorative collection.