The second edition of the National Coin Fair was curated by Chennai Coin Society (CCS)
CHENNAI : Numismatics, antique collectors and philatelists from across the country recently visited the city for a three-day National Coin Fair, curated by Chennai Coin Society (CCS). Talking about the successful second edition of the National Fair, Rajkumar, founder, CCS, said, “Chennai coin society is two years old and we curated the first edition of this national exhibition last year. We had brought about 200 collectors from across the country to Chennai. It was a big hit. We have received a phenomenal response this year as well. We had about 5,000 walk-ins every single day,” he said.
The numismatist displayed his collection of coins from 2,000-year-old Sangam era, and coins from the Nayak dynasty. Shedding light on the importance of collecting and preserving them, he said, “The symbols on the coins reflect the way our ancestors lived. For instance, you can find a lot of images associated with nature that are over 2,000 years old, embossed on these coins. They are documentation of history and show how our ancestors worshipped nature. As we progressed, faces of kings and Gods became Venkatachalam a popular feature on coins, ” he averred.
Another enthusiast from Delhi, with a collection of 500 coins, including coins from the Roman period said, “Earlier collecting coins, stamps and anything from the bygone era was considered a hobby. Now, it has become a serious profession for many. It plays a vital role in creating a record for the future generation. It is useful in understanding our past,” he shared.
Srinivasan, a 70-year-old visitor, said many of the coins, postcards and collectibles made him nostalgic. The septuagenarian bought a epsilon folding camera from one of the stalls. “My father used to own one, back in the 50s. I will keep this as a memorabilia,” he smiled. Other collectibles on display included Marapachi dolls, daggers, vinyl records, vintage cameras, brass dolls, artefacts and vintage postcards.
