The annual Numismatics and Philately Exhibition organised by the Numismatic and Philatelic Association of Vellore Fort is on at Town Hall here.
The three day exhibition was inaugurated by Vellore District Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram in the presence of P. Komal Kumar, Superintendent of Post Offices, Vellore Division, and T. Rajendiran of Laxmi Garden and Springdays School, on Friday. The exhibition will be open till 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Nearly 500 coins are displayed by C. Thamizhvanan, president of the organising association. He has displayed some of his prized collections such as the bend bar coins of Taxila (now a region in Pakistan), Sakya Janapadha (600-500 B.C., Buddha’s dynasty), and Asmaka Janapadha (600-500 B.C.).
A rare coin issued in commemoration of the victory of King Rajendra Chola over the Ganges region and coins on the Arcot rulers including Khan Sahib (also known as ‘Marudhanayagam’) are part of the display.
Every coin in his possession has a story behind it. He explained how some coins of the Arcot rulers have Tamil script on them, perhaps implying the integration of the languages. “Coins come in various materials, textures and shapes,” he said, pointing to the square, octagonal and circlar coins.
Some other coins on display are from Gandhara, the Pandya, Maurya and Vijayanagara dynasty, Chera period and those that belonged to ruler Ashoka and the Nizam of Hyderabad.
The exhibition also includes some commemorative coins such as the 150th year celebrations of the Indian Railways (2003), the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Dhandi March (2005) and the 100-rupee and 5-rupee commemorative coins released on the occasion of the birth centenary of Kamaraj (2004).
There is a separate section for antiques, secured from various places of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts, and photographs of ancient rulers and freedom fighters .
