Future money

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee released two ‘Bhabha Centenary Commemorative Coins’ at the international conference on ‘Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy-2009’ in the capital’s Vigyan Bhawan. He handed over the first set of coins — one of Rs 10 and the other of Rs 100 — that were set in a black plaque to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Singh, who has been RBI Governor and understands everything there is to money, asked “Are these legal tender?”. No, Mukherjee replied, they cannot be used by the common man since they are only for commemorative purposes, “but if one keeps these coins for a hundred years and then sells it to coin collectors, one can make a fortune!”