Kolkata exhibition to showcase world’s oddest currency notes this month
Times of India | 18 December 2024
123 Kolkata: Myanmar issued odd-value currency notes like 15 Kyats, 35 Kyats and 99 Kyats with the photograph of military dictator Ne Win who between 1958 and 1981 twice served as Prime Minister and also as President. The odd values were used because of Ne Win believed in numerology. An astrologer promised that the introduction of these notes would assure Ne Win would live to be 90 years old. Ne Win died in 2002 at this age!
The Reserve Bank of Fiji issued a 7-dollar currency note in 2016 on the occasion of Fiji Rugby 7s gold medal win in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Qatar, which hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, also issued a 22 Riyals currency note that year.
Malaysia issued the world's biggest banknote in 2018 of 600 Ringgit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its independence. Pakistan issued a 75 Rupees note in 2022 to commemorate its 75th anniversary. Nepal Rastra Bank also issued a note of 250 Rupees in 1997 on the occasion of the silver jubilee of King Birendra's accession to the throne in 1972.
Germany issued a Bad Honnef Notgeld for 99 Pfennigs in 1921. In 1941-42, Jersey issued a 6 pence note, while Suriname issued a 2.5 Gulden note.
These and many other notes of unusual denomination will be showcased at the 26th annual conference and exhibition — Mudra Utsav-2024 — hosted by the Numismatic Society of Calcutta (NSC) from Dec 20 to 22.
These "odd" currency notes are collections of Debkumar Pal, who has been collecting coins and notes since 1998 and has amassed over 7,000 world banknotes to date.
The exhibition will also showcase coins and currency notes from 1835 to 2024. "The rich tapestry of coins on display will not only showcase the diversity of our numismatic heritage but also weave together historical narratives and cultural evolution encapsulated in each coin," said NSC joint secretary Vinod Jaiswal.
Also on display will be machine-struck coins of Hyderabad state - Mir Mehboob Ali Khan II; the history of the Calcutta Mint through coins and Indian coins minted abroad; currencies from the princely states of India; Chinese zodiac banknotes of Macau; and banknotes on world-famous persons.
NSC was established in 1985 by a group of coin enthusiasts keen to promote numismatics as both a hobby and an academic discipline. Over the years, the society has been involved in numismatic research and education, fostering interst among younger generations while advancing scholarship studies in the field. It currently has over 500 members.
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