Bharat Ratna, Shivaji coronation coins to go on display in Mumbai

MUMBAI: An upcoming coin fair gives Mumbaikars a rare opportunity to see the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, as well as the gold and silver coins that were showered upon Shivaji Maharaj during his coronation ceremony. Neither of these treasures is for sale.
Both will be exhibited as part of the 25th Shukla Day exhibition from April 22-24 at the World Trade Center.This annual fair of coins, banknotes and stamps commemorates the birth anniversary of S M Shukla, honorary curator of the Prince of Wales Museum and foremost numismatist of Mumbai.
"This Bharat Ratna was conferred upon former PM Gulzarilal Nanda. His grandson has loaned it to us for the show. No museum in Mumbai has the Bharat Ratna on display,'' said organiser Malcolm Todywalla, whose father Farokh picked up his numismatic skills at the knee of S M Shukla.
Gold and silver hoans (coins) minted for Shivaji's coronation at Raigad in 1674 will also be seen. "Nearly 800 hoans were struck and showered upon the head of the Chhatrapati. A number of varieties exist, showing that they must have been continued as regular currency. Hoans are very rare to find. One remains in the collection of Prince of Wales museum and another is with the National Museum in New Delhi,'' Malcolm said.
Items that go on sale include the earliest gold coins minted in India during the Gupta and Kushan period. They range from Rs 50,000-2,25,000. A gold mohur of Akbar could fetch Rs 75,000. Coins that the East India Company struck for Bombay Presidency have the heart-shaped bail mark that was the company's symbol. Meanwhile, a 2,500-year-old silver `bent bar' comes for as little as Rs 3,000. "Many items are not costly at all. One need not be a crorepati to be a collector,'' said Malcolm.
Sadly, the number of children who collect stamps and coins has dropped steadily over the years. "Fifteen years ago, children would come in sizeable numbers. Now hardly any arrive. They are busy exploring iPads and iPhones. I suppose if our coin fair was held on Facebook we would become more popular,'' laughed Malcolm, who does indeed have plans to make a presence online.