When turning a banknote upside down makes it even more valuable!
At first glance, this appears to be an ordinary 1 Rupee note from the late 1970s.
Look a little closer…
Its serial number is 616919.
Turn the note 180 degrees, and the number still reads exactly the same!
These fascinating serial numbers are known among collectors as Rotator Notes (mathematically called strobogrammatic numbers). Only the digits 0, 1, 6, 8 and 9 can create such numbers, making genuine rotators much scarcer than regular notes.
This example is graded PMG Choice Uncirculated 64 EPQ, confirming that it retains its original paper quality. The notation “Staple Holes at Issue” tells us the tiny staple holes were made by the issuing bank while bundling fresh notes—not through circulation.
To many people, it’s just another one-rupee note.
To a collector, it’s a wonderful combination of history, mathematics, printing and rarity—proof that sometimes the smallest detail can make the biggest difference.
Collecting isn’t just about old money… it’s about discovering the remarkable stories hidden in plain sight.
A Banknote That Survived a Shipwreck… and 75 Years Underwater
Some collectibles are rare because very few were printed.
Others are rare because they survived the impossible. I got this recently from another collector friend.
This original 10 Rupee banknote, dated 25 November 1916, was aboard the steamship SS Camberwell when it struck a German mine and sank off the Isle of Wight in May 1917, during the First World War.
The wreck lay beneath the sea for around 75 years before divers recovered a small number of these remarkable notes. Despite decades underwater, the note still retains enough of its design, date and serial number to tell its extraordinary story.
What makes this piece truly special is that it is not just a banknote—it is a survivor of one of history’s most turbulent periods, accompanied by its Certificate of Authenticity from the Bembridge Maritime Museum, Isle of Wight.
As collectors, we often speak of rarity, condition and value. But every now and then, a collectible reminds us that history itself can be the greatest treasure.
A silent witness to World War I… A journey interrupted in 1917… And a story that resurfaced decades later.
Dad told me about this 1998 episode of notes, some time back.. and it took a while to catch this note, so to speak.
At first glance, these two Mauritius 50 Rupee notes look almost identical. Same portrait of Joseph Maurice Paturau, same denomination, almost the same design.
But look closely at the three languages below “FIFTY RUPEES.”
🔎 The lower note is from the controversial 1998 issue. The denomination appeared in the order:
English → Hindi → Tamil
The positioning of the Indian languages caused considerable controversy in multicultural Mauritius. The Bank of Mauritius eventually withdrew the entire 1998 series and introduced a corrected series in 1999.
🔎 Now look at my upper note, dated 2009:
English → Tamil → Hindi
A tiny change — but one with a fascinating story behind it.
The 1998 series comprised Rs25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000, and had an extraordinarily short life. The Rs50 was issued on 30 October 1998, and the series ceased to be legal tender on 1 October 1999.
That short circulation also explains why some of the other 1998 denominations — particularly the higher values — are considerably harder and more expensive to find today.
The 1998 note also carries different signatures and the BB prefix, compared with the later BE example shown here.
This is what makes banknote collecting so fascinating.
Two Rs 50 notes. Almost identical. Yet the order of just two languages turns them into a little piece of Mauritian social history.
800 Errors, One Collector, Years of Patient Research
Today I am sharing something particularly close to my heart — a small glimpse into Dad’s award-winning philatelic collection from the 1980s and 1990s.
This is not simply a collection of stamps.
It is a study.
The exhibit examines the printing flaws found on the stamps of Cochin State’s sixth Raja, Maharaja Kerala Varma II, particularly the 3 Pies Carmine and 9 Pies Blue issues.
And when Dad called it an “Elaborate Study”, he meant it!
Across the collection are approximately 800 stamps showing errors, flaws and varieties, each carefully examined and classified. (Shared here is just a small sample)
Look closely at these pages. Every arrow, every enlarged sketch and every handwritten explanation was done by him.
He identified minute variations that most of us would probably never notice — tiny lines through the portrait or lettering, ink dots, breaks in the design, plate flaws, shifted overprints, missing pinholes, displaced perforations, unusual shades and other printing peculiarities.
What fascinates me most today is how this research was done.
There was no high-resolution digital photography. No image enlargement on a computer. No online database to search. And certainly no AI to ask, “Spot the differences between these two stamps!” 😄
There was instead a collector’s eye, a magnifying glass, reference material, enormous patience — and page after page of Dad’s remarkably neat handwriting and hand-drawn diagrams.
The stamps themselves are historical objects.
But these pages have now become historical objects too.
They preserve not only the postal history of the erstwhile princely state of Cochin, but also the way serious philatelic research was undertaken by dedicated collectors more than three decades ago.
And perhaps that is what makes this part of Dad’s collection especially precious to me.
800 error stamps. Hundreds of observations. Countless hours of study. One man’s passion, preserved on paper.
The medals and awards this collection earned are a matter of pride.
But decades later, I think the greater treasure is being able to turn these pages and see Dad’s knowledge, patience and handwriting still speaking through them.
A collection within a collection.
And a family treasure beyond valuation. ❤️
From Dad’s Collection — preserving not merely stamps, but the story behind them.
A Persian Gulf Quartet — Finally Graded & Together
Government of India / Reserve Bank of India Persian Gulf notes — ₹1, ₹5, ₹10 and ₹100 — are now all authenticated and graded, with the final two notes recently returning from grading.
The grades may look modest:
₹1 — PMG 25 Very Fine ₹5 — PMG 20 Very Fine ₹10 — PMCS 25 Very Fine ₹100 — PMG 15 Choice Fine
But with notes such as these, the number on the holder tells only part of the story.
These are survivors of a fascinating episode in Indian monetary history.
Introduced for circulation in the Persian Gulf region, these special Indian rupee notes are immediately recognisable to collectors by their distinctive “Z” prefix. They circulated in places including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial States — the region that would later include the United Arab Emirates.
For someone who has spent much of his life in the UAE while retaining deep roots in India, that historical connection makes this series particularly special to me. 🇮🇳🤝🇦🇪
And then there is the reality of collecting them.
Finding attractive examples is not easy. These notes actually circulated, and surviving pieces often show folds, handling, staple holes and other evidence of their working life
A pristine note is beautiful. But a circulated note can have a biography.
Imagine where these pieces might have travelled more than six decades ago — across counters, markets and trading houses around the Gulf, passing through hands in a region that was about to undergo an extraordinary transformation.
And today, they sit together in my collection.
For me, therefore, this little group isn’t about chasing a 60, 65 or 67 grade.
It is about history, survival, geography and completing a difficult set.
The grading is simply the finishing touch: authentication, protection and preservation for the years ahead. “This set was not acquired together. I built it patiently, one denomination at a time, over the course of nearly a year. That makes seeing all four — ₹1, ₹5, ₹10 and ₹100 — finally graded and together particularly satisfying.”
And yes… after hunting for the missing pieces and finally getting the balance two graded, there is considerable satisfaction in being able to say:
₹1. ₹5. ₹10. ₹100. Persian Gulf Issue. Together at last.
A ₹20 Note That Survived Half a Century in Superb Gem Condition!
Some currency notes are collected for their age. Some for their design. And then there are notes like this—where history, scarcity and extraordinary preservation come together.
Presented here is India’s first ₹20 banknote issue, introduced by the Reserve Bank of India in 1972. This example bears the signature of RBI Governor S. Jagannathan and belongs to the distinctive dark-green variety catalogued as Pick #61a / Jhunjhunwalla 6.5.1.1A.
What makes it truly exceptional is its grade:
PMG 67 EPQ — Superb Gem Uncirculated
On PMG’s international 70-point grading scale, a grade of 67 represents a note with above-average margins, excellent registration and only the possibility of extremely minor handling. The EPQ designation—Exceptional Paper Quality—confirms that the note retains the quality and originality of its paper, without inappropriate processing or alteration.
For an Indian banknote issued more than half a century ago, achieving this grade is quite an accomplishment. Finding an ordinary example is one thing; finding one preserved at this elite level is an entirely different treasure hunt!
The note also carries the interesting “Incorrect Kashmiri” language-panel variety. Such details may have passed unnoticed by people using the note in daily life, but today they help distinguish important varieties for serious collectors.
The obverse features the Ashoka Lion Capital, while the reverse depicts India’s Parliament House—making the note a miniature record of the nation’s identity and democratic heritage.
The PMG holder additionally records “Staple Holes at Issue.” This reflects the old Indian practice of stapling bundles of banknotes before circulation. Importantly, these were recognised as occurring during the note’s original issuance and did not prevent it from receiving the magnificent grade of 67 EPQ.
Serial number: A/10 402629 Year of issue: 1972 Governor: S. Jagannathan Variety: Dark Green – Incorrect Kashmiri Grade: PMG 67 EPQ, Superb Gem Uncirculated
The ₹20 denomination was introduced partly as a cost-effective bridge between the ₹10 and ₹50 notes. Nobody handling one in 1972 could have imagined that, more than fifty years later, a beautifully preserved example would become such a coveted piece of Indian paper-money history.
Not merely twenty rupees anymore—but a superb little survivor from another era.
And yes, this one has earned a very special place in our collection. 😊
One of my favourite pieces from Germany’s fascinating 1923 Westphalia Notgeld series has just returned from grading.
1923 Germany – Westphalia 10,000 Mark (Lamb 579.7) Gilt Bronze NGC AU 55
For anyone wondering, AU stands for About Uncirculated.
An AU 55 coin has seen only the slightest circulation. The original detail remains remarkably sharp, with only light wear on the highest points. For a coin issued over 100 years ago, during Germany’s hyperinflation era, surviving in this condition is quite an achievement.
What makes this medal-like Notgeld even more appealing is its beautiful gilt bronze finish, the portrait on the obverse, and the magnificent rearing horse of Westphalia on the reverse.
Professional grading doesn’t just assign a number—it authenticates the piece, protects it permanently in a tamper-evident holder, and gives collectors worldwide confidence in its originality and condition.
One more treasured piece safely preserved for the next generation.
Sharing a lovely section from my father’s collection — a specialised run of Baroda State / Gaekwad coins covering rulers such as Anandrao, Sayajirao II, Ganpatrao, Khanderao, Malharrao and Sayajirao III.
What makes this set special is that it is not just a type collection, but a variety study collection with handwritten notes on:
Baroda and Amreli mint varieties
Nagari letter and legend differences
symbols like sun, flower, shield, hoof, sword/scimitar, flag etc.
double strikes, overstrikes, restrikes and minting defects
different dies, planchets, diameters and strike styles
the progression from early irregular copper paisa to the later machine-struck Sayajirao III coins
I especially love the handwritten observations on each holder — almost like mini research notes. That’s the beauty of old-school collecting: not just collecting coins, but studying them, comparing them and documenting the differences by hand.
Sharing only the fronts here, but even that gives a good glimpse into the depth of the collection.
A wonderful copper journey through Baroda State coinage — and an even more wonderful reminder of the patience and scholarship with which earlier collectors built their collections.
One more gem from my father’s thematic stamp exhibits…these are just a few of the 20+ sheets.
Using stamps from around the world, he combined Animals’ Cries and English Idioms of Comparison into a fascinating educational display.
📚 An Ape gibbbers 🐻 A Bear growls 🐍 A Snake hisses 🐺 A Wolf howls 🦢 A Swan cries
and
🦁 As brave as a lion 🦉 As wise as an owl 🐑 As gentle as a lamb 🦚 As proud as a peacock 🐘 As strong in memory as an elephant
Long before Google and Wikipedia, stamp collecting encouraged children to explore animals, language, geography and general knowledge through curiosity and discovery.
As I digitize my father’s award-winning collections, I continue to be amazed by the imagination and educational value packed into these handmade exhibit pages.
Among the many treasures from the past, some stand out not just for their value, but for the stories they quietly carry.
This ₹100 note from the Reserve Bank of India, dating back to the 50’s era of King George VI, is fondly nicknamed the “Phaphda Note” by collectors — thanks to the large watermark window that amusingly resembles the famous Gujarati snack! Signed by H.V.R. Iyengar, it’s from the AA series, i.e. an early prefix .
But beyond the nickname lies a piece of history. Issued at a time when ₹100 was a significant sum, these notes were not widely circulated, making surviving examples quite special today.
The front proudly displays the Ashoka Pillar — even before it became India’s national emblem — while the reverse showcases a majestic dam, symbolizing the nation’s early strides in infrastructure and progress.
With its intricate design, multilingual script panel, and old-world charm, this note is more than currency — it is a snapshot of a transitioning India.
A little worn, yes… but then again, history rarely stays crisp. 🙂
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