The Hinduja Foundation displayed its collection of rare and priceless ancient coins of India to the public for the first time at an exposition here.
The Collection originated with a bequest from late Lance Dane, a British Army officer, and comprises over 35,000 coins, artifacts and antiquities acquired over 65 years. Major part of the collection are a large number of coins of ancient India.
The Hinduja Foundation hosted the exposition 'Ancient Coins of India - the Lance Dane Bequest' at the World Trade Centre here yesterday.
A coffee table book on the bequest titled 'Ancient Coins of India' was also launched at the event in the presence of Ashok P Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies (India) and Trustee, Hinduja Foundation and Harsha Hinduja, Trustee, Hinduja Foundation.
Paintings, bronzes and stone sculptures, terracottas, wood carvings textile, beads, photo archives and rare books on the same theme also form part of the Hinduja Foundation Antiquity Collection.
The antiquities of the Collection go back 2,600 years and are illustrative of the art, crafts, literature, science, religion and customs of the bygone ages of India.
"We have spent Rs 1 crore on cataloguing and research on 'Ancient Coins of India' and we are ready to spend more as we are doing this for a cause," Ashok P Hinduja said.
Harsha Hinduja said, "Through the Antiquity Collection, The Hinduja Foundation will protect, preserve and display India's priceless antiques to uncover their secrets to advance India's knowledge of its glorious cultural heritage and to provide opportunities for research and education to historians and students from across the world."
Most of the coins are in silver, copper, lead, potin (a mixture of cobalt, tin and arsenic) and gold fanams.
Some of the coin series are probably the most comprehensive representations of entire dynasties like Satavahana dynasty (150 BC to 250 AD).
The Collection has punch marked Mudras, the earliest known coins of India, and are amongst the best known in India.
