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The coin hunter
His coffer has more than 3,000 odd coins from around 150 countries.
The collection comprises rare coins made in gold, steel, bronze and aluminium. He began to collect the old `chakram', `kaasu' and `rupa' of Kerala as a hobby.
P. Kumaraswamy Pillai.
Says P. Kumaraswamy Pillai, "My friends would give me the rare coins they had. I've also spent money to get hold of some coins."
Pillai has a 100 rupee commemorative coin of the IX Asian Games for which he had to send a draft of Rs. 350 addressed to the Bombay Government Mint. Likewise, for a 24 carat '97 gold medallion, he ended up paying Rs. 4,500.
One of the coins in his collection was minted in 1965. It has Queen Elizabeth's head imprinted on one side and Winston Churchill's on the other. Coins from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Pakistan, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Kenya, Portugal, Israel, Jordan, Tanzania, Burma, China, Palestine and Hong Kong form part of his small treasure, which is worth about Rs. 35,000.
The coins come in different shapes and sizes. One particular coin is estimated to be 1,000 years old. It belongs to the Chola period (the reign of Raja Raja Chola), while another coin with a picture of the Charminar embossed on it belongs to the Nizam era. Then there's a four-sided Sri Lankan coin, a 40-year-old Chinese copper coin, a seven-sided coin with inscriptions and a couple of double metal coins.
"I do not wish to exhibit my coins, nor do I desire to sell them. I collect these coins for my own satisfaction," says Pillai.
Pillai, who hails from Nagercoil, is a member of the Philately and Numismatic Association in the city.
This association holds a monthly meeting, where its members come together to share their views on their collection of stamps and coins. The members also exchange coins and stamps.
S.S.
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