GOLDEN GRANDEUR: Gold coins of Kakatiya dynasty in the strong room of State Museum in the city.

Hyderabad: Move over Nizam's jewellery, Hyderabadis will now have an invaluable coin collection to rave about. As many as 2.75 lakh coins, including 16,000 gold ashrafis, will be be housed in an exclusive numismatic gallery being set up at the Andhra Pradesh State Museum here.

A sum of Rs. 1.58 crores has been sanctioned by the Government of India and the State Government will earmark about Rs. 30 lakhs from the 12th Finance Commission for the gallery which will come up in one and half years on the museum premises in Public Gardens.

All secure

Elaborate security measures are being planned for the gallery where the gold coins will be exhibited for the first time. The Godrej company has been asked to prepare bullet proof showcases.

The Department of Archaeology and Museums is going in for electronic security, CCTVs and strengthening of walls for the numismatic gallery. The coins are now kept in the strong room of the museum. Nobody has set eyes on the entire coin collection till date.

At present only the National Museum, Delhi, and the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai, have coins collection. The State Museum, which was set up by the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, will be the latest to have a full-fledged numismatic gallery.

Satavahana dynasty

From the earliest Punch mark coins of Satavahana dynasty to silver, copper and gold, the coins represent different mediums.

They belong to dynasties such as Roman, Ikshvaku, Vishnukundin, Western and Eastern Chalukyas, Yadava, Kakatiya, Vijayanagara, Sultans of Delhi, Bahamani, Mughal, Qutb Shahi, Asif Jahi, East India Company, British and modern India.

"The numismatic gallery will tell the story of money from the barter system to the ATM", said J. Kedareshwari, director, Archaeology and Museums.

The coins, which have great antiquity value, throw light on the political and economic conditions of the times, while their physical appearance give an idea about the craftsmanship, aesthetics and cultural heritage, Dr. Kedareshwari said.

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