Meet Mitesh Ranjan Sahu, a 38-year-old government employee in Odisha, who is an avid collector of coins, currency notes, matchbox labels, postage stamps, and medals, earning him the nickname ‘Currency King’.
Oddities are common in the world of hobbyists. Take ‘currency king’ Mitesh Ranjan Sahu, for instance. At 38 years old, he earns his livelihood as a government employee with the 4th Special Armed Security Force at Mandal Jail in Koraput town of Odisha. However, his true passion lies in numismatics, notaphily, philately and phillumeny.
His modest home in the Gandhinagar neighbourhood, where he lives with his wife Sonalika and daughter Sambhavna, conceals a fascinating personal museum. He has amassed a collection of over 3,200 rare coins, 600 currency notes, 500 matchbox labels, 2,000 postage stamps and 50 medals from more than 200 countries.
Sahu’s hobby began serendipitously at the age of 13 when his cousin and uncle gifted him old coins. “Finding an Indian coin with King George IV’s face on one side and the lion capital on the other piqued my interest in collecting coins,” he said.
A native of Duduraanta village in Jajpur district, he possesses one of the most enviable numismatic collections in the region, earning him the nickname “Currency King”.
His home, resembling a museum, features exquisite coins from Mughal emperors like Aurangzeb, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Akbar, as well as from the Delhi Sultanate era. His collection also includes coins from princely states such as Hyderabad, Jaipur, Baroda, Mewar, and Awadh.
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From tiny one paisa coins to large tamra, silver, gold and brass coins, his collection embodies the rich numismatic heritage of the subcontinent.
“I have coins from the Travancore, Bikaner, Junagadh, Bhopal, Gwalior, Kashmir and Pudukkottai princely states, among others,” he said.
Coins form only a fraction of his collection. Sahu has an equally remarkable array of rare currency notes from more than 200 countries, including colonial-era Indian notes issued during the early days of the East India Company, featuring the double-headed eagle. His prized possessions include Rs 100 notes from the reigns of King George V and VI, bearing their images. He also has notes with special numerical combinations like 143 (an internet numerical expression for I Love You), 876 (a holy number in Islam) and 916 (IPC section: Using evidence known to be false).
From local currency notes featuring dictators Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi of Libya to those with first Bangladesh president Mujibur Rehman, or Saudi king Abdullah, the diversity of Sahu’s currency notes collection is astonishing. He also owns Japanese notes issued during its occupation of Burma (now Myanmar), and Indonesian banknotes featuring Hindu deities such as Ganesha. Among the unique items is a 158x158mm Thai note from King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s reign, claimed to be the world’s largest square-shaped banknote. Sahu also possesses a rare 10 Chervonets note printed in 1910 during the Tsarist Russian era.
His collections extend further to notes and coins with printing errors, misprints, notes signed by former RBI governors, and experimental notes like the 60 Baht note from Thailand that were never circulated.
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“I have discovered a new-found joy in learning about the cultural, political, and economic history of these nations through my collections,” said Sahu, who has displayed his rare treasures at exhibitions in Baripada and Koraput.
He has single-handedly built this vast collection purely through his passion and modest income as a government employee. “My collection has outgrown my home. I desperately need a proper museum space to not only preserve but also share these pieces of history with the world,” he said.
Sahu’s feat has earned him appreciation from various quarters. However, his ultimate dream is to build a full-fledged museum with government support. “I hope the state government recognises my lifetime’s effort and helps me open a museum to put Koraput on the map of numismatic tourism,” he said.
From a school-going numismatic enthusiast to becoming Koraput’s “Currency King”, Sahu now plans to continue expanding his collection and raising awareness about India’s numismatic heritage.
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The lead image on top shows a part of the collection in Mitesh Ranjan Sahu’s personal museum. (Photo by Shreekant Sahoo)
Shreekanta Sahoo is a seasoned journalist with a decade of dedicated experience in the ever-evolving field of media.
