Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Exhibition of coins under way

— Photo: R. Ashok.

CURIOUS: Visitors at the expo.

TIRUCHI: A two-day exhibition of coins and currencies organised by the Tiruchirappalli Numismatic Society commenced at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Higher Secondary School here on Saturday.

On display at the expo are some old coins as well as those in circulation, Indian and foreign currencies, stamps of different countries, coins of foreign nations besides portraits of kings of Mysore and Thanjavur and those of Arcot Nawabs.

Also on display are rare coins belonging to the Mauryan, Gupta, Kanishka, Chola, Chera, Pandya and Pallava dynasties as well as those that were used during the Madurai Nayak, Tanjore Nayak and Vijayanagar reigns.

Coins belonging to the Mughal dynasty and coins of East India Company, French India, Dutch India and Hyderabad Nizam also form part of the exhibition that was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathidasan University M. Ponnavaikko.

The expo also features United Nations circulated coins, ‘Hole’ coins, special and memorial coins; those brought out during the pre-Independence era and Indian Commemorative coins.

Around 2,000 coins are on display at the exhibition, says A. Manoharan, the president of the Tiruchi Numismatic Society, which has completed 15 years. The objective of the exhibition is to create awareness among public of coins and the need to preserve the antique ones as they reflect the rich history, culture and heritage of the bygone era, he added.

Releasing a souvenir brought out by the society, Dr. Ponnavaikko said it was the Tamils who introduced coins to the world. It was the Tamils who first used coins for trade through the barter system.

The entry is free for the exhibition which is open from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

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