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Collecting UAE Coins

Started by Bimat, July 01, 2012, 07:45:32 AM

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Bimat

Coins' connection with events catches Dubai collector's eye

By Jamil Khan   July 01, 2012

DUBAI: Among residents belonging to more than a hundred nationalities — each unique in its own way — that make up the resident population in the UAE, it's quite natural to come across people with equally unique hobbies that reflect both the heritage, and the contemporary goings on in the countries they come from.

Latheef Kizhakkiyil Purayil from India's southern state of Kerala is one such fine example of a man choosing a hobby notwithstanding his limited financial resources, much of which he has invested in his pre-occupation with coins.

For the last over 10 years, Purayil has been collecting Dh1 coins issued by the UAE government on various occasions to commemorate events like major sports championships held in Dubai, the silver jubilee celebration of oil production in the Abu Dhabi refinery or even global occasions like the Olympic Games.

Currently, he has a collection of over 35 such coins of Dh1 denomination issued by the government during the past 30 years, besides a dozen other Emirati antique coins.

"Even the Dh1 coins have been acquired by me at great cost — some of them for which I've had to pay over hundred times their face value," Purayil said in an exclusive interview with The Gulf Today on Saturday.

Purayil is popularly known among his friends circle as a dedicated collector of Dh1 coins. Whenever anyone comes across a new or different coin, rest assured a call is made to Purayil announcing a gift for him.

"My friends and colleagues — even my general manager at the office, knew of my hobby. Besides them, I had left a word about my hobby at all the grocery shops in Jebel Ali area, which I used to frequent. The cashiers don't fail to notify me of their discovery of any unique or new coin in their possession. All I do is then pick it up from them," he said.

Purayil, who lives in Jebel Ali area, has had humble beginnings. He started his career as a helper in a small firm and in 1996, took up an office boy's position at a multinational firm. However, his dedication, grit and hard work paid him dividends, and now he has an important role as part of a public relations department team in a company trading in various prime varieties of rice.

"I was bitten by the coin-collection bug in 1999.  A salary packet then included a couple of coins, one of which looked to be very unique. My friends told me it was useless and advised that I return it to the company cashier who, however, confirmed that it was still in use and in fact was issued a year earlier (in 1998) to commemorate an international event held in Sharjah. This connection with an event, instinctively led me to know more about such coins and collect them as a hobby," he added.

An old coin in Purayil's collection is one issued in 1986 on the occasion of the 27th Chess Olympiad held in Dubai. The most recent coin — a gift he received from a friend some two days ago — was issued by the UAE government to commemorate the World Environment Day on June 5, 2009.

"There are hundreds of people who collect coins, but I choose only Dh1 to be unique among others," he says, adding, "However, during my annual visits to India, I also started a collection of coins that have been in use in the sub-continent over the years,"

Enjoying prime place in this collection is a prized 1000-year-old coin once used during the reign of Emperior Noor-ud-din in AD 1022, among many more changing hands during the years the country was ruled by its various rulers, including one issued by the British East India Company.

"I want to share my happiness with people across generations — both the inquisitive youth as also the nostalgic elderly, through my collection of coins. It pleases me very much when someone shows great interest in my collection, either here in Dubai or back in my hometown where I have more than 300 antique coins," Purayil says.

Determined to take his hobby to a whole new level, Purayil says that soon he would be starting work on a compilation of the historic background of each coin in his possession, while also planning to go online to share his experiences with the world out there.

Source: Gulf Today
It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -J. K. Rowling.

Figleaf

Charming story. It reads like the journalist was just as enthralled as the collector. Collecting brings happiness.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

paisepagal

I had placed an order one time for all the UAE 1 Dirham commems . It was something like 35-40 euros... Unfortunately it never reached me.
So can't imagine this guy taking more than a couple months to assemble a relatively simple collection such as this one

Oh well, charming inthe end

Figleaf

Funny, I had a discussion with an American professor about this subject not so long ago. Money does not have the same value for the rich and the poor*. If you and I can spend 40 euros on our hobby, good for us. However, that same amount is a small fortune to a French drifter, a homeless person in the US or an Indian peasant villager. Our collector is somewhere in-between, I think. A dirham is about 21 to 22 eurocents, yet he goes about collecting the difficult, but fun way: asking a local retailer, his bank teller, his colleagues. For me, it all adds up to someone who has found a rewarding hobby that doesn't cost a lot of money.

Peter

* let me know if you want to read it. It is pretty technical in some places.
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

paisepagal

Sure, while we're talking in the present... I doubt he'll keep his goals modest within a year once he's done with the 1dh ... It's a trap dare I say of any collector.

Figleaf

 :D :D :D

Yes, and what a sweet trap it is. He's already talking about his British East India Company coin ... dated 1616? ;) I like this guy.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Bimat

Here's THAT East India coin. :D (Photo taken from same article, forgot to attach it in previous post):



Aditya
It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -J. K. Rowling.

Figleaf

 :D :D :D (sounds of sides splitting)

An ultra-rare pattern specimen proof essai of a rare unknown type and mint not in KM. Ripe for eBay. >:D

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

mervinsr

I have been collecting UAE coins for quite a few years now..and would be willing to trade/exchange for some that I do not have.

If neone interested do msg me and will take it further from there.

regards,

Mervin

Coinsforever

Quote from: mervinsr on August 10, 2012, 01:35:47 PM
I have been collecting UAE coins for quite a few years now..and would be willing to trade/exchange for some that I do not have.

If neone interested do msg me and will take it further from there.

regards,

Mervin
''

WELCOME TO WOC ,MERVIN

THIS FORUM  IS VIBRANT AND FULL OF ENERGY  EACH MEMBER IS CONTRIBUTING AND GAINING EVERY DAY , HOPE YOU TOO WILL ENJOY  THE SAME.

CHEERS ;D
Every experience, good or bad, is a priceless collector's item.



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