Kolkata: Numismatic Society of Calcutta (NSC) — the apex body of numismatists in the state is all set to organise the 21st annual conference and exhibition of coins titled 'Mudra Utsav' from December 21-23 at a banquet hall of a leading confectionery chain
in Ballygunge.
The three-day event will have its theme on Mahatma Gandhi as this year marks the 150th birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation'. "Special emphasis of our exhibition will be given on the coins, medals, tokens and paper-money issued in commemoration of the great soul of India — Mahatma Gandhi," said Ravi Shankar Sharma, secretary of the NSC, which is the apex body of numismatists, imparting knowledge in the field of research and collection of coins and its allied subjects since 1985. There will be around 70 stalls of numismatists coming from all over the world as well as India.
Due to the paucity of space, the exhibition committee has decided that the exhibits will be displayed within 15 cabinets.
The exhibits will have a wide collection of coins from the Sultanate period, the Janapadas, gold coins of the Gupta and the Kushan and coins of Republic India.
The exhibition will remain open to the visitors from 11 am to 6 pm and there is no entry fee for the viewers.
It may be mentioned that numismatics is a hobby among many school and college students.
In the past, the society organised exhibitions of coins in various schools and colleges both within the state and outside the state.
The response of such exhibitions was to give impetus to people collecting coins; the society has decided to distribute a free gift to school children those who will attend
the exhibition.
NSC is an organisation for collection, preservation and research on coins whose principal activity includes organising annual exhibition, seminar and lecture, publishing of newsletter and journal at
regular intervals.
Through its 33 years of journey, the society is functioning as a building block for the young and the new collectors, enriching their knowledge in coins and notes by the experienced scholars of our society, thereby preserving history.