Hobbies maketh a man. Though a jeweler by profession, Dinesh Raikar owns a collection of rare Indian currency that has historical value
He beats the Sensex and the fluctuating currency. Markets donot scare him as he banks on priceless currency whose value grows in years.
Dinesh Raikar is a collector of Indian currency of a certainage. A board in his jeweler shop at the Margao New Market displays coins stuckon it and reads ‘coins are not for sale.’
As one enters his small shop Dinesh Raikar warmly greets youand points out to the above mentioned board. He proudly flanks the rareenormous rupee 1000 note and says, “It’s my hobby.”
Raikar began collecting coins in 1980, after his brothershared his collection of 20 coins with him as part of their ancestral property.When Raikar started his jewelry store he displayed the coin collection in hisshop and had inquiries from interested parties.
“Brokers, coin collectors and enthusiastic passers-by beganpouring in, asking whether I needed more coins to complete my set. That waswhat got me interested in collecting coins” shares Raikar.
“I am a low profile person. My hobby is to collect coins andcurrency, mostly Indian. Some of the coins in my collection date back to the17th century” says Raikar displaying a coin of 1789. Some of the coins are ofthe Portuguese era while some are from Chatrapati Shivaji’s times. Raikar hascoins of Indian currency of all denominations – from one paisa to 150 rupeecoin. He has 28 varieties of 50 paisa coins and 23 varieties of two rupeecoins.
“I will be getting my 1000 rupee coin at the end of thisyear. We book it six months in advance” says Dinesh. The uncirculated coin setmarking the birth centenary of C Subramanian will be sent by post. One can bookit online. “I have booked my order with the mint by post” he says.
Dinesh owns these special coins, minted on specialoccasions, by India and other countries. He also has gold and silver coins ofsome sixty odd banks and companies.
Raikar attributes his ability to pursue a hobby that is adead investment to his wife, saying “I could pursue my hobby due to theunconditional support from my family, especially my better-half Deepali.”
Now that’s value. For money or no money.
