Humans are under great pressure of building their careers. As you dig into the memory lane of your life, all you can see is busy doing something or the other. Happiness is taken over by wealth. The often questions asked are “How’s your career?”, “What are you doing?”, “What is your goal?” None of us ask how happy you are. The whole world is running on MONEY. If you’re rich, there you go you’re respected everywhere! On the other hand, are you a middle-classed man? Then no one cares for you. We, humans, have reached that far.
As we grow up, indulging in small activities reduces. We forget reading books, playing out, watching cartoons, and whatnot. Amongst all these, Hobbies do not even find a place in our daily routine. Let’s recall your hobbies when you were 12 or 13. Each one of us has different hobbies. Reading books is a hobby for one while playing games is the other one’s hobby. One of the most favourite hobbies of children is the collection of some really interesting things. Collection of stamps, toy cars, pictures, and coins too. Collection of ancient coins, paper currency is referred to as NUMISMATICS.
Numismatists are the ones who collect coins, paper currency, and related ancient stuff. They study the currencies of different regions, the research on the design and structure of the currency. Recently, India had witnessed demonetization. The old rupee notes of denominations 10, 20, 50, 500, and 1000 were replaced with a new design and new paper. These designs and the physical attributes of the currency are analysed by the Numismatists. Not only currency, but they also study tokens and medals. They aren’t specialized in a separate academic discipline. They are introduced to this field through history, archaeology, or metal sciences. There is no certification to identify the individuals as numismatists.
A numismatist is not someone who is merely concerned with currency. There are various branches of it in which one can be proficient in. These collectors use their collected stuff in object-based research. Presently, there are three groups under the collection of coins and paper currency.
- Firstly, the ones who collect coins for their personal pleasure of ownership. They study them individually as amateur scholars.
- Secondly, a group of people known as professional numismatists authenticates coins for commercial purposes. The demand for the collection of money increases day by day as the buying and selling of coins advances.
- The third category comprises people who are independently acquiring knowledge on this money collection. Being passionate about the collection of simple coins, these numismatists fulfil their hobby classes.