BENGALURU: For more than 55 years, one man’s unyielding passion has evolved into a spectacular historical treasure -- a paper currency museum, ‘Rezwan Razack’s Museum of Indian Paper Money’, Brunton Road, in Bengaluru. It stands testimony to his remarkable journey.
The museum has gold mohurs from the Mughal era, radiant silver coins and an astonishing collection whose value today could easily run into thousands of crores. So profound is this collection that even the Reserve Bank of India took notice.
Former RBI governor Shaktikanta Das was so taken with the museum that a scheduled 30-minute meeting extended into an unforgettable three-hour conversation with Rezwan Razack.
Razack, a seasoned author of two books, is now preparing to release his third, which delves into the captivating world of Indian paper money of the princely state of Hyderabad.
Yet, building this extraordinary museum was no simple task. Razack recalls a particularly fascinating chapter in his journey: the acquisition of four rare pre-Independence currency notes-Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, and Rs 100. The twist? The seller was located in Portugal! Undeterred by the geographical challenge, Razack arranged for a friend to collect the precious notes from Europe, adding them to his collection.
His quest led him across cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, and beyond, scouring hundreds of unique currency notes and coins from all corners of India.
Among the crown jewels of this collection is a 1860s Rs 20 note, which serves as a reminder of a time when Indian currency was accepted not only across India but also in Burma, and the territories that would later become Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Some of Razack’s most prized acquisitions came from currency dealers in Bengaluru and Mumbai, often specializing in cut notes. He recalls how they would call him about rare finds, and he’d rush over without hesitation. Some notes were easy to acquire, while others required tough negotiations.
The museum also showcases paper currency from the East India Company era and the period following the British Crown’s takeover post-1857\58.
One of the museum’s standout features is a currency shredder acquired from RBI, used to destroy notes, with jars filled with shredded remnants of old currency. These relics are notes from India’s first demonetization in 1946, and the second in 1978. There’s even a rare Rs 10,000 note from the British Raj, featuring sophisticated anti-counterfeiting security measures that are awe-inspiring to this day.
Perhaps the most remarkable pieces of all are currency notes from India’s princely states: Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir as well as from former colonial regions such as Portuguese Goa and French-controlled Puducherry and Mahe. These coins and notes, steeped in history, are a notaphilist’s ultimate dream, offering a vivid and unparalleled glimpse into the rich tapestry of India’s diverse past.