Art of Money
We see it everyday & most, if not all, are always on the lookout for more.
But how many of us take the time out to appreciate the beauty of hard currency. Sure they are designed immaculately & incorporate the latest technologies, but these are things we take for granted.
It was wisely noted that ' familiarity breeds contempt' & there aren't too many things out there that we would like to be more familiar with.
So next time you withdraw a crisp note or get an unusual coin, try to see it in a new light, appreciate its textures, admire its artistic flair & then, spend it, like you always have.
But how many of us take the time out to appreciate the beauty of hard currency. Sure they are designed immaculately & incorporate the latest technologies, but these are things we take for granted.
It was wisely noted that ' familiarity breeds contempt' & there aren't too many things out there that we would like to be more familiar with.
So next time you withdraw a crisp note or get an unusual coin, try to see it in a new light, appreciate its textures, admire its artistic flair & then, spend it, like you always have.
At first the only thing visible is the flower motif but if you rock your rock your head back & forth the outlines of the 20 will be visible. All Indian notes from 20 to 1000 have a strip on the extreme right on the frontside with these markings, as one of the safeguards against counterfeiting.
Go on, have a closer look.
Go on, have a closer look.
The White House as seen on a $ 20 is immaculately represented. Especially the portico, which has a certain depth to it.
This heavily muscled lion is from an Indian Rs 1 coin dating from 1947. A closer inspection reveals that the people responsible had an eagle eye for detail. They have even made sure that this formidable lion has its canines in place. Brilliant!!!
I love the colour & the feel of this coin. Its held up well despite being close to 60 years old. The ears of corn were carried forward on the Rs 1 coin till the latest series.
The reverse of the same coin as above. Although the central lion is a bit faded the other 2 are in very good shape alongwith the horse & bull. They used to know how to mint their money those days.
This is from the Rs 100 note in use during the 90s. This is just one amongst the several graphics depicted. I find this to be particularly charming.
This is from an old Indian 1 pice coin from 1953. Imagine, such a stylised representation for a denomination as small as 1 pice. They say that God is in the details & he looks to have deserted us from the looks of things.
The flower motif is one of the recurring designs in Indian currency & this is one of my personal favourites. From a Rs 10 note used in the 80s.
Found on the $1 bill, the pyramid is part of the great seal of the USA. Supposedly derived from Freemason symbology, the no 13 is present on more than instance, on purpose or otherwise.
This Rs 10 is one of my favourite notes & was in circulation in the 80s & has a lot of animals depicted on it.
This is from the same note as above & I absolutely love the big horse. Although it's rearing up, it has a very benign expression . The feathers of a peacock can be seen on the extreme left.
Asoka's Lion capital is very well preserved on this 25 paisa coin from the 70s. A closer look reveals each of the 24 spokes on the Asoka chakra along with the impression that the bull is pushing the wheel while the horse is pulling it.
Pity that we aren't minting coins like this anymore.
Pity that we aren't minting coins like this anymore.
For most followers of Cricket, this Lion will conjure up images of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The majority of Sri Lankans are Sinhalese which means the 'Lion people''.
Personally, I love this stylised representation of the king of beasts.
This a 1 pice coin from 1947. The flower motif is exquisitely done. Hard to believe that all this is for 1 pice.
Its also very clever as they have made it look really good while keeping the metal used to a bare minimum.
I'm certainly not being nostalgic here but I would definitely like to see the coins of our times to have at least a bit of the character that's seen here. You can clearly see the time & effort taken to come up with the design where as coins these days look pretty hashed up.
This portrait of George Washington is from a $1 bill.The best part are the eyes as the catchlight has been included & this makes him look alive. Its brilliant how his gaze follows you no matter where you are looking from.
