Defunct 500-1000 notes add to the rich reserve of 'Odisha

While many were left strapped for cash after the demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes, P Anil Kumar of Berhampur in south Odisha walked away a richer man.

Kumar, who has been collecting coins and banknotes that are no longer in circulation, has two more currencies in his album now.

A businessman by profession, Kumar boasts of a wide collection of Indian banknotes of different denominations from both pre and post-Independence era. These include different sizes of the denominations right from Rs 1 to Rs 1000.

"I added the just scrapped notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 to my album on the same day that they were withdrawn," said the 48-year-old.
 

With these, I have preserved at least three varieties of the notes of Rs 500 and two varieties of Rs 1000. This apart, I have six types of Rs 10, Rs 5, Rs 1 currency note each; five varieties of Rs 100 and three varieties of Rs 20", the intrepid coin collector said.

Interestingly, some of these currencies bear fancy numbers like 48H 700000 (Rs10), JPT 600000 (Rs 100) 6CA 577777 (Rs 500) and 7EA 000007 (Rs 1000), etc, showed Kumar recalling how he fell in love with coins since childhood days.

"I have been collecting these coins and notes since childhood," said Anil, whose coins are displayed in a corner of his house.

The coins date back to the Mughal era to the present which include 30 varieties of Rs 5 denomination coins.

There are also annas of different denominations, used in the pre and post-Independence period and the currencies issued by the East India Company.

This apart, he is the proud owner of notes of different denominations from 25 countries.

"Every time the respective government withdraws notes or coins of different denominations, I quickly collect the same and keep them in my album for future reference," he added.

One can know about a country, a dynasty and famous personalities simply by looking at these currencies, he explained.

Moreover, the commemorative currencies also bear references to the organisations concerned.

To the question of coins becoming rare in near future with the emergence of plastic money and internet banking, the enterprising man, building up such a huge collection all by himself, asserted "Nothing will deter me from collecting the coins and currencies.