The citizens of Steel City were provided an opportunity to peep into stamps and coins of a bygone era. Organised by Mayank Kumari Deo, former convener of INTACH-Visakhapatnam at the Hawa Mahal building in association with the Numismatic and Philatelic Society of Visakhapatnam, on the occasion of World Heritage Day, here, on Good Friday witnessed people from all walks of life making a bee-line to have a dekko.

Visitors were guided by philatelists, numismatists. Mallikarjuna Rao, a resident of M V P colony said, “I was waiting for an exhibition like this in our city. I always make it a point to visit numismatics exhibitions across the country.”   

A betel leaf box in brass caught the attention of visitors. Designed in the shape of a peacock, the paandaan as it is called in Hyderabad, Lucknow and Murshidabad dates back to 150 years. People would store betel leaves, nuts and short eats in the box.

Other attractions included a 2,300-year old coin and few from Satavahanas, Kushan, Chera and Chola dynasties. K. Kameswara Rao, founder secretary to the Numismatic and Philatelic Society of Visakhapatnam is the proud possessor of the coins.

His collection includes a 2,300-year-old silver coin, weighing 180 mg, which is said to be one of the smallest coins in the world.

V.C.H.V. Rama Gupta’s collection of coins includes a 1 kg silver coin on Mahatma Gandhi, issued by Malta in 2004. Land documents issued by the East India Company in 1818 were also on display.