C R GOWRI SHANKER
May 13, 2016
Ancient Indian coins put up for auction can earn big bucks.
Queen Victoria, gold, and (right) reverse
Hyderabad: Ancient Indian gold, silver and copper coins, especially from the Mughal era, the princely states, British India and others, are fetching huge amounts in international numismatics auctions.
An Empress Victoria gold coin of British India, minted in 1884, has been put up for auction with an opening bid at $3,250; it is expected to fetch $3,500 or more. A George V silver coin minted in 1918 has a base price of $1,600; it should fetch up to $3,000.
Stephen Album Rare Coins, an American company specialising in ancient, Islamic, Indian, Chinese and modern world coins, conducts three major auctions each year – in January, May and September.
The company, established by Stephen Album in 1976, with its office at Santa Rosa, California, has put on auction over 2,600 coins of India and several other countries from May 19 to 21.
In the Ancient India category, a silver coin of King Eucratides I, dated 170-145 BC, is priced at $ 2,000. Eucratides 1 was an important Greco-Bactrian king, a descendant of the nobles of the court of Alexander the Great and had fought against Indo-Greek kings, before being pushed back to Bactria.
Mughal coins too command huge prices. A silver zodiac rupee coin of Jehangir (1605-1628) of Ahmedabad is priced at $1,200, but could $1,500. “Ancient Indian coins have a big international market. Some rare coins fetch thousands of dollars,” said Mr Ramulu Naik, senior official of the TS department of archaeology and museums.
Historian Dr Mohd. Safiullah said that people these days preferred to invest in rare coins since they fetched good returns.
“Many people prefer to invest in rare coins since they are easy to convert and fetch huge returns. It’s easy to buy coins abroad, but very difficult to take ancient coins out of India due to stringent laws. One has to seek the ASI’s permission if the coins are 100 year 100 years or older,” Dr Safiullah said.
Rare 2nd century coins on display at Telangana State Museum
June 4, 2016
The coins are on display at the State Museum, Public Gardens.
Historian Anuradha Reddy explains the rare coins on display to students attending the exhibition at the State Musuem on Friday. (Photo: DC)
Hyderabad: Rare coins dating back to the pre-Satavahana period (second century AD) found during excavations in Karimnagar district have gone on display.
The exhibition at the State Museum began on Friday. The coins had been kept locked up in the treasury ever since they were found and this is the first time they have been shown to the public.
The display includes 70 coins made of silver, copper and lead. They are part of the cache of 987 coins that were found during excavations back in 1978, at Kotalingala.
Kotalingala is said to be capital of the first known Telugu kings and the coins were found by a villager who then handed them over to the Department of Archaeology and Museums, at Hyderabad, in 1978. Tourism Secretary B. Venkatesam said the coins brought to light the long-cherished history of Telugus.
“Telangana is a new state but it has some of the oldest habitations. These coins date back to the pre-Satavahana and Satavahana dynasty and we are proud to showcase them,” he said.
N.R. Visalatchy, Director of the department of archaeology, said the exhibition will provide people with an opportunity to peep into ancient Indian history.
The government is also planning to acquire 47 acres of land in Kotalingala where the excavations were carried out. “We will put up all the coin collections from various dynasties in the numismatic gallery which is coming up in the museum,” she added.
May 13, 2016
Ancient Indian coins put up for auction can earn big bucks.
Queen Victoria, gold, and (right) reverse
Hyderabad: Ancient Indian gold, silver and copper coins, especially from the Mughal era, the princely states, British India and others, are fetching huge amounts in international numismatics auctions.
An Empress Victoria gold coin of British India, minted in 1884, has been put up for auction with an opening bid at $3,250; it is expected to fetch $3,500 or more. A George V silver coin minted in 1918 has a base price of $1,600; it should fetch up to $3,000.
Stephen Album Rare Coins, an American company specialising in ancient, Islamic, Indian, Chinese and modern world coins, conducts three major auctions each year – in January, May and September.
The company, established by Stephen Album in 1976, with its office at Santa Rosa, California, has put on auction over 2,600 coins of India and several other countries from May 19 to 21.
In the Ancient India category, a silver coin of King Eucratides I, dated 170-145 BC, is priced at $ 2,000. Eucratides 1 was an important Greco-Bactrian king, a descendant of the nobles of the court of Alexander the Great and had fought against Indo-Greek kings, before being pushed back to Bactria.
Mughal coins too command huge prices. A silver zodiac rupee coin of Jehangir (1605-1628) of Ahmedabad is priced at $1,200, but could $1,500. “Ancient Indian coins have a big international market. Some rare coins fetch thousands of dollars,” said Mr Ramulu Naik, senior official of the TS department of archaeology and museums.
Historian Dr Mohd. Safiullah said that people these days preferred to invest in rare coins since they fetched good returns.
“Many people prefer to invest in rare coins since they are easy to convert and fetch huge returns. It’s easy to buy coins abroad, but very difficult to take ancient coins out of India due to stringent laws. One has to seek the ASI’s permission if the coins are 100 year 100 years or older,” Dr Safiullah said.
Rare 2nd century coins on display at Telangana State Museum
Historian Anuradha Reddy explains the rare coins on display to students attending the exhibition at the State Musuem on Friday. (Photo: DC)
Hyderabad: Rare coins dating back to the pre-Satavahana period (second century AD) found during excavations in Karimnagar district have gone on display.
The exhibition at the State Museum began on Friday. The coins had been kept locked up in the treasury ever since they were found and this is the first time they have been shown to the public.
The display includes 70 coins made of silver, copper and lead. They are part of the cache of 987 coins that were found during excavations back in 1978, at Kotalingala.
Kotalingala is said to be capital of the first known Telugu kings and the coins were found by a villager who then handed them over to the Department of Archaeology and Museums, at Hyderabad, in 1978. Tourism Secretary B. Venkatesam said the coins brought to light the long-cherished history of Telugus.
“Telangana is a new state but it has some of the oldest habitations. These coins date back to the pre-Satavahana and Satavahana dynasty and we are proud to showcase them,” he said.
N.R. Visalatchy, Director of the department of archaeology, said the exhibition will provide people with an opportunity to peep into ancient Indian history.
The government is also planning to acquire 47 acres of land in Kotalingala where the excavations were carried out. “We will put up all the coin collections from various dynasties in the numismatic gallery which is coming up in the museum,” she added.
Telangana plans display of rare coins
I 2,37,963 coins are kept in the treasury vaults since there is no exclusive gallery for coins at the museum.
Hyderabad: Four hundred gold, silver, bronze, copper and other coins, dating from the pre-Satavahana period to those of the Asaf Jah dynasty, will be put on display at the Telangana State Museum.Museum officials selected these coins from its vast collection. Its hoard of 2,37,963 coins are kept in the treasury vaults since there is no exclusive gallery for coins at the museum.
Ms M.R. Visalatchy, director, department of archaeology and museums, and a team of experts segregated the collection based on the rulers who minted the coins, the metal used, size and description and selected the best for display.
“We planning to have a numismatics gallery where 400 coins of various periods will be put on display. Work on the gallery will be completed in a couple of months,” Mr Ramulu Naik, assistant director, State Museum, told this newspaper.
A committee of experts from AP and Telangana segregated the coins depending on the metal and period of origin. Mr Naidu said the committee had segregated 25,000 coins.
2016
I 2,37,963 coins are kept in the treasury vaults since there is no exclusive gallery for coins at the museum.
Hyderabad: Four hundred gold, silver, bronze, copper and other coins, dating from the pre-Satavahana period to those of the Asaf Jah dynasty, will be put on display at the Telangana State Museum.
Museum officials selected these coins from its vast collection. Its hoard of 2,37,963 coins are kept in the treasury vaults since there is no exclusive gallery for coins at the museum.Ms M.R. Visalatchy, director, department of archaeology and museums, and a team of experts segregated the collection based on the rulers who minted the coins, the metal used, size and description and selected the best for display.
“We planning to have a numismatics gallery where 400 coins of various periods will be put on display. Work on the gallery will be completed in a couple of months,” Mr Ramulu Naik, assistant director, State Museum, told this newspaper.
A committee of experts from AP and Telangana segregated the coins depending on the metal and period of origin. Mr Naidu said the committee had segregated 25,000 coins.
2016
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