PUNE: The first coin issued after India became independent was the trigger for Pune-based Shrinivas Bhat to collect not just coins but several items including miniature liquor bottles, Ganesh idols and lapel pins. Bhat has secured a place in the Limca book of records in 2004 for his collection of rare coins, while his son Punit found a place in the Limca book in 2005 for his collection of miniature liquor bottles.
"My collection started when my mother gave me the first coin issued after independence and the coins issued by the British during their rule, which were no longer in circulation," said Bhat, a retired professional.
The collected coins are laminated with cellophane sheets and arranged in plastic folders to avoid exposure to outside environment.
The task of collecting coins was not child's play for the Bhats. "With the help of relatives, friends, coin dealers and well-wishers we managed to achieve the record. In the span of 12 years we procured this collection, which is worth over Rs 5 lakh," said Punit.
The Bhats collection now consists of more than 5,000 coins and over 200 sealed miniature liquor bottles. Apart from that, the father-son duo have collected 200 metal Ganesh idols and over 500 lapel pins featuring sports, airlines and countries.
In 2004, Bhat was mentioned in the Limca Book of World Records for his collection of over 2,000 rare coins. The collection includes 1,160 coins on wildlife from 172 countries, bi-metal coins from 157 countries and general coins from 342 countries. His huge collection also includes sets of coins from ancient India, Mughal India, the Maratha rule, and the princely states.
He also collected a set of coins named as the 50 State Quarters Programme of the US wherein the US Mint, in a ten year programme, started issuing five state quarters (25 cents) every year from 1998 to 2008. Through a series of circulating quarters, the programme aimed to honour the 50 states that form the US.
"The quarters depicted some speciality of that state, such as natural or man-made landmarks, landscapes, historically significant buildings, symbols of state resources or industries, official flora and fauna, state icons," Bhat explained.
In 2005, Punit Bhat got his name registered in the Limca book for his collection of 231 sealed miniature liquor bottles. Now his collection has increased to 501 bottles. The collection comprises bottles of various brands and varieties in various shapes and sizes such as a golf ball, house, bell, trumpet and sea shells.
The father-son duo also have a collection of lapel pins of all the Olympic Games held from 1896 to 2008 and have recently procured the official lapel pin of the 2012 Olympics. They also have the lapel pins of the four FIFA world cup competitions held since 1998 and the lapel pins of all the 32 countries that participated in the FIFA world cup, 2006.
Their football collection also consists of lapel pins of clubs from the English Premier League and the European Premier League. Among the football world cup collection is the lapel pin of the Jules Rimet Cup — the trophy presented to winners from 1930 to 1970. The collection also includes the official replica of the medals presented to participants of the 2002 world cup, which bears miniature flags of all the participating countries.
Bhat is presently the president of the International Collectors Society of Rare Items, Pune and a member of World Bi-metal Coin Collectors Club.
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"My collection started when my mother gave me the first coin issued after independence and the coins issued by the British during their rule, which were no longer in circulation," said Bhat, a retired professional.
The collected coins are laminated with cellophane sheets and arranged in plastic folders to avoid exposure to outside environment.
The task of collecting coins was not child's play for the Bhats. "With the help of relatives, friends, coin dealers and well-wishers we managed to achieve the record. In the span of 12 years we procured this collection, which is worth over Rs 5 lakh," said Punit.
The Bhats collection now consists of more than 5,000 coins and over 200 sealed miniature liquor bottles. Apart from that, the father-son duo have collected 200 metal Ganesh idols and over 500 lapel pins featuring sports, airlines and countries.
In 2004, Bhat was mentioned in the Limca Book of World Records for his collection of over 2,000 rare coins. The collection includes 1,160 coins on wildlife from 172 countries, bi-metal coins from 157 countries and general coins from 342 countries. His huge collection also includes sets of coins from ancient India, Mughal India, the Maratha rule, and the princely states.
He also collected a set of coins named as the 50 State Quarters Programme of the US wherein the US Mint, in a ten year programme, started issuing five state quarters (25 cents) every year from 1998 to 2008. Through a series of circulating quarters, the programme aimed to honour the 50 states that form the US.
"The quarters depicted some speciality of that state, such as natural or man-made landmarks, landscapes, historically significant buildings, symbols of state resources or industries, official flora and fauna, state icons," Bhat explained.
In 2005, Punit Bhat got his name registered in the Limca book for his collection of 231 sealed miniature liquor bottles. Now his collection has increased to 501 bottles. The collection comprises bottles of various brands and varieties in various shapes and sizes such as a golf ball, house, bell, trumpet and sea shells.
The father-son duo also have a collection of lapel pins of all the Olympic Games held from 1896 to 2008 and have recently procured the official lapel pin of the 2012 Olympics. They also have the lapel pins of the four FIFA world cup competitions held since 1998 and the lapel pins of all the 32 countries that participated in the FIFA world cup, 2006.
Their football collection also consists of lapel pins of clubs from the English Premier League and the European Premier League. Among the football world cup collection is the lapel pin of the Jules Rimet Cup — the trophy presented to winners from 1930 to 1970. The collection also includes the official replica of the medals presented to participants of the 2002 world cup, which bears miniature flags of all the participating countries.
Bhat is presently the president of the International Collectors Society of Rare Items, Pune and a member of World Bi-metal Coin Collectors Club.
