Money, Money, Money

Have a look at the following parts of artwork and think of how much money they’d each be worth:

Take a closer look at the them – some so simple and yet quite engaging, the colours subtle, some mathematical. The designs certainly deserving recognition…

Remember the amount?  Here’s what I’d pay – not more than Rs. 10 for most of them! Cheap labour eh? Look further:

 

Picked up on the hints? If you are Indian and haven’t  got it by now, take out  your wallet and pay up- it might strike you then. Send the link of this blog to your friends and see how observant/ignorant they are!

Some say good art is money.

I’d say money is good art!

Some of the smaller denominations of Indian currency currently in use :

Many people hope for a crisp note or a shiny coin during their monetary transactions. But there’s something enchanting about a well-used coin/note …the stories it could tell!

Coins- Rs10, Re1, 10p, 1p

Coins of very small denominations are no longer in use. The 25p ceased being legal tender money from June 30, 2011.

Variations

The above is a quarter ruppee, pre-independance, nickel coin with the crowned head of King Emperor George VI and an Indian tiger on the other side. The value is written in 3 languages- Hindi, English and Urdu. Urdu is no longer used on coins now

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The Portugese State of India, collectively referred to as Goa was established in 1505 and they stayed on till 1961. The currency used till 1958 was  Rupia  and from then onwards was the Escudo ( 1 rupia = 6 escudo = 1 rupee)   . The above is a bronze 30 centavos coin  (1 escudo = 100 centavos)

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Above is a bronze, pre-independance 1/12 anna coin from 1936 by the British East India Company. The literacy rate of India in 1930 was around 8% and yet they used fractions!

From 1835-1957, Rs1= 64paise , 1 anna=4paise

From 1957, Rs1 = 100 naya paise , 4 anna = 25 naya paise

as they chose to shift to a decimal series              (naya meaning new to avoid confusion)

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It is hard to find older coins now, but if you have a budding interest in them, you’d be surprised to find something unique if you look hard enough. Above are a sample of memorial coins I’d found through everyday use over a period of time. These are produced by the mint even now as can be seen by the year.For example, the coin marking the birth centenary of Mother Teresa and 1000 years of Briharadeshwarar Temple was produced in 2010 and is still doing the rounds now.

So the next time someone hands a coin over – turn it around and have a good look- you may just find something!

Note: All photographs are taken by the author. Do not use without prior permission.