The highest collection of 25 paise coins of the year 1988 has earned Korupolu Gangadhara Rao a place in the Wonder Book of Records.
Working as a teacher at the Mandal Praja Parishad Primary School in Parawada, Mr. Rao began to collect the coins two decades ago.
Today, he has a total of 60,666 coins. These apart, he has in his possession 1.20 lakh coins of other denominations and over 250 currency notes of 120 countries.
The numismatist’s rare collection includes copper coins belonging to the Kushan dynasty, coins with Devanagiri script inscribed on them and minted during the Vijayanagara period, ‘40 kaasu’, foreign coins, and denominations that date back to the Maurya period.
Mr. Rao made an entry into the Limca Book of Records in 2015 and India Book of Records in 2016 for his highest collection of ₹10 coins.
This year, he has secured a place in the Wonder Book of Records for the largest collection of 25 paise coins and rare denominations minted during various dynasties in different metals, shapes, and sizes.
“A lot of hard work has gone into the endeavour. While a large chunk of coins have been sourced from my friends, some have been bought through online portals paying huge money,” says Mr. Rao, who sets a significant portion of his salary aside every month to nurture his 20-year-long passion.
Best teacher award
The numismatist, who hails from a middle class family, says that it would have been impossible to achieve the feat without the support of his wife Aruna. “In this age of digital technology, it is important to encourage children to pursue hobbies such as numismatics. It helps turn the pages of India’s glorious past and economy,” says Mr. Rao, who also bagged the district best teacher award in 2015.
In order to kindle interest in numismatics among the youngsters, Mr. Rao plans to organise exhibitions in city schools and colleges every month.
This apart, he aims to gain an entry into the Guinness World Records. An application in this regard has been submitted to the authorities concerned.
