Poland Groszy

The polish currency is zloty, and a grosz is the 100th part of a zloty. The zloty underwent redenomination following high inflation around  1990. Due to the redenomination, 10,000 zloty became 1 zloty and 100 zloty became 1grosz. This happened in January 1995.

1 grosz, 2004

Metal:Brass

Reverse: denomination, drooping oak leaf over value

Obverse: "Rzeczpopolita Polska", meaning republic of Poland, date and Polish coat of arms

2 grosze, 1998

Metal:Brass

Reverse: denomination, two drooping oak leaves

Obverse: "Rzeczpopolita Polska", meaning republic of Poland, date and Polish coat of arms

10 groszy, 1999

Metal: copper-nickel

Diameter: 16mm

Reverse: denomination within a wreath

Obverse: "Rzeczpopolita Polska", meaning republic of Poland, date and Polish coat of arms

20 groszy,1992

Metal: Copper-nickel

Diameter: 18.5mm

Reverse: denomination within an artistic design

Obverse: "Rzeczpopolita Polska", meaning republic of Poland, date and Polish coat of arms

The coat of arms of Poland is a White Eagle. The coat of arms first appeared about seven hundred years ago, and its appearance is not changed much since then. It is one of the oldest coat of arms and there are very few countries that have been able to keep their respective coat of arms for this long a period of time in a pretty much pristine state. The stylized appearance of  the coat of arms makes it a tad difficult to establish which bird is shown. The crowned white eagle is the most probabilistic choice of what bird this could be, and at the same time, the possibility of it being a chicken, pigeon or peacock has also been postulated.

The design of the coat of arms consists of a crowned white eagle, having golden claws, beak and a golden crown on its head. The appearance of the bird is stylized and the background is a red shield.

In Poland, the eagle appeared as a coat of arms for the first time on seals of several Dukes of the Piast dynasty (they were portrayed both standing and on horseback) in the years 1222-1236. It was their personal and family coat of arms and at the same time the emblem of their dukedoms. The eagle was selected as their coat of arms for its symbolic values. As the king of all birds it was a primeval symbol of power, victory, force and kingship. For the same reason, many monarchs in other countries, used the eagle in their coats of arms. The eagle of the Piast princes had different colors than the others. From the very beginning it was the White Eagle in the red shield (on "gules", according to heraldic terminology). 

In the beginning, the eagle of Piasts had no crown. It was as late as when trends to unify Polish lands and to restore the Kingdom of Poland (disrupted as early as in the second half of the 11th century) emerged - when the Eagle's head was crowned. It took place in 1290, when the Duke of Great Poland and Kraków, Przemysl II put forward a plan to unite Poland, together with his own claim to the royal crown. When Przemysl II was crowned as the King of Poland in 1295, he introduced the White Eagle in a crown on the back side of his royal seal of majesty, as the Coat of Arms of the whole Kingdom of Poland. All Polish kings that followed accepted it in that character. Beginning from the times of Wladyslaw Jagiello, that is from the end of 14th century, the Polish White Eagle was accompanied by "Pogon" (a knight on a horse with the raised sword in his hand), the coat of arms of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was a sign of the union of the two States under the rule of the same King. 

The shape of the White Eagle changed following consecutive artistic styles in different times. The gothic Eagle of the Piasts and the Jagellons was followed in 16th century by a Renaissance one, then by a decorative baroque one, and finally by a harmonious and yet deprived of power of expression, classicistic 18th century one. At the beginning of 19th century the design of the Polish military eagle worn on soldiers’ caps developed. As the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland, the White Eagle was at the same time the personal Coat of Arms of each King. Beginning from 16th century, the connection between the Eagle and the King was expressed by his monogram on the Eagle's breast, later by his family coat of arms. Despite the changing artistic form of the White Eagle, its ideological message was always the same. It was a symbol of the sovereign and independent Polish State, and of the King who personified all his subjects. As a symbol of the State and the King, it was present on royal seals and documents, on coins, army banners, on royal tombstones and residences, on State office buildings and more important churches; it was used during State and Court ceremonies. In 1705 King August II established the highest Polish decoration, the Order of the White Eagle, existing untill now. 

In 1795, in the consequence of the partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia and Austria, and in the consequence of the breakdown of the State, the White Eagle lost its significance as the coat of arms an was replaced by the emblems of the foreign monarchies. It reappeared however, in every national uprising and in other attempts to restore independence (in 1831, 1846, 1848 and 1863/64). It became at that time the main visual symbol of the struggle for national independence. The left-oriented liberation movement took for their emblem the "democratic" White Eagle without the crown. In 1918, when Poland regained freedom, the crowned White Eagle became once again the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Poland. Before the 2nd world war it had two officially accepted forms - the one from 1919 and the other from 1927 (the latter designed by Professor Zygmunt Kamiñski). Apart from the official designs, several stylistic forms of the White Eagle were in use at that time. 

After the defeat in 1939 and during the German and Soviet occupation of the country the White Eagle, as Poland's coat of arms, was strictly forbidden. Once again it became the symbol of fight for free Poland. It was used by the underground army at home and by the regular Polish army abroad. The left-oriented armed forces, however, as well as the Polish army created in the Soviet Union, adopted the White Eagle without the crown. And such became the official Coat of Arms of Poland after 1945. Removing the crown from above the Eagle's head meant a change of the State's political system, from now on based on the principle of "people's democracy." That form of the White Eagle, though officially used till the end of 1989, was not commonly accepted by the Polish nation, so much attached to their previous, centuries-old national emblem. And thus, when in consequence of the events of the 1980s, the political system in Poland was changed, it was possible again to restore the crowned White Eagle. On the 29th of December 1989, the Polish Sejm (Parliament) decided to bring back the White Eagle's crown. In 1990 its official design was defined, closely relating to that of 1927. In 1993 traditional emblems of the Polish Army were restored, among which was the Crowned White Eagle. 

In 1995, the 700th anniversary of the White Eagle's coronation as the Coat of Arms of the Polish State was celebrated.

South Korean Won

50 won,2003

metal:copper-nickel

diameter:21.6mm

reverse:denomination and date

This coin is in the F.A.O. series. F.A.O. is the food and agricultural organization of the united nations. On the obverse,we can see the sprig of a foodcrop. The crop is mentioned to be an oat sprig in the Krause catalog of coins, and almost everyone repeats what is written there. But it is actually a rice sprig. Korean people eat rice as their staple foodcrop.

 Rice had been a precious and rare thing before the country's modernization. In northern region of the peninsula, in particular, where rice farming was less popular than in the southern provinces due to the lack of paddies, boiled rice or "ssalbap" was a specialty for family celebrations.

About 30 years ago, the biggest wish of hungry children from poor families was without a doubt the desire to eat plain, boiled white rice and beef soup. During those times, not only could they not afford to buy rice but it was not abundant.

A "legendary" sad episode involving the foreign wife of a top national leader in the 1950s showcases the serious shortage of rice at that time: The lady heard that many people, especially in the farming villages, in early spring, were going hungry for they had no rice to eat. She asked, "Then, why don't they eat bread?"

Rice has been cultivated for more than 3,000 years on the peninsula. It is the staple grain of Koreans, which has shaped their culture, dietcooked rice and of rice snacks, though. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, Americans' rice consumption per capita rose from 11.9 kilograms in 1990 to 13.4 kilograms in 2003.

Rice farming still remains important politically and socially, even if its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is less than 10 percent, as seen in the yearly routine of the National Assembly to set the government's purchase price of the year's rice crops from farmers. 

100 won, 1991

metal:copper nickel

diameter:24 mm

reverse: date and denomination

The obverse shows the figure of admiral Yi Sun-Shin(1545-1598), who was a famous Korean naval commander, and a hero of Korea. As the lord high admiral of the Korean fleet, he fought the Japanese fleet in 1592. He turned back the Japanese fleet with his innovative turtle ships, and to many, became a national hero. He was shot by a stray bullet in Noryang in 1592, and was posthumously given the title of Chungmugong(duke of loyalty and arts of chivalry).

Admiral Yi achieved a battle record that no one else has in history. Great and well known war generals like Napoleon Bonaparte of France, emperor Frederick of Germany, Hannibal of Persia and even Genghis Khan were defeated at least two times out of twenty odd battles. But Admiral Yi fought 23 battles, and never saw defeat, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

Throughout history, there have been few generals who were adept at frontal assault, sudden attack, concentration and dilation. Napoleon was one, and among admirals, Horatio Nelson of England and  Yi Sun-Shin of korea were the only ones who could do this. In the terms of personal character  and integrity, Yi is far better than Nelson, although both were tactical geniuses. Yi is lesser known as he was born in the far East part of Choson. He drew admiration and reverence in even his adversaries in Japan.

Admiral Yi defeated the Japanese even when his ships were outnumbered 13 to 330. But his greatness does not lie in mere figures, but the fact that he was not driven by any wish of conquest, but of service to his nation; and for which he even laid down the ultimate sacrifice.

500 won, 1988

metal: copper-nickel

diameter:26.5mm

reverse:date and denomination

The obverse shows the Red-crowned crane or the Manchurian crane, which is a stately long-legged, long-necked bird whose immaculate snow-white plumage is accented by black secondary feathers, a black neck with contrasting white nape, and a red crown. They stand 1.5 m tall, average 7-10 kg in weight and have a 2.5 m wing span. Unique among the four species of "white" cranes (a group that also includes the Hooded Crane, Black-necked Crane and Whooping Crane) they have snow white primary feathers. The black secondaries form an elegant curling black bustle when the bird is standing. Juvenile birds are also predominately white with black-tipped primaries and dull grayish-brown neck and secondary feathers. Sexes are similar in appearance. They are very long-lived, reaching ages greater than 70 years in captivity. Cranes have specialized vocal adaptations highlighted by an extremely long trachea that coils within a hollow sternum. They produce a wide variety of calls ranging from low pitched purrs to the loud unison calls involved in courtship and pair maintenance. The calls of male and female cranes differ in pitch. The white cranes are the most aquatic of the world's 15 crane species. They inhabit wide open marshes, bogs, and wet meadows where high visibility in daylight leaves them with less need to remain inconspicuous from predators. They have very sharp eyesight, spotting intruders and potential hazards from hundreds of meters away. Red-crowned Cranes roost overnight in rivers or streams to take advantage of the deeper water for predator defense. Their flashy plumage may aid them in territory maintenance. There are two main breeding populations of Red-crowned Cranes: on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, and a larger mainland population that breeds in northeast China and southeastern Russia. Red-crowned Cranes prefer to forage in deep water marshes where they prey on insects, aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians and small rodents. Once a firm pair bond has been established, Red-crowned Cranes usually remain mated for life, although they will replace a mate that has died. The most spectacular aspect of crane courtship is the dancing ceremony. They prance stiff-legged around each other, alternately bowing and stretching, with their wings half extended. They punctuate the dance by leaping high into the air with their legs dangling loosely beneath them. When excited they pick up small sticks or pieces of grasses, toss them exuberantly into the air, and then stab at them on the way back down. They perform a duet of their ringing unison calls to further strengthen the pairing. Total world population is estimated at 1500 in the wild with another 700 in zoos around the world. By the severe winter of 1950 the Hokkaido birds were reduced to 25 half-starved birds huddled around a hot spring. Local farmers came to their rescue by supplying them with grain. Japan designated the Red-Crowned crane or tancho as its national bird in 1952. Supplemental feeding, rigorous protection and unflagging public support have enabled them to rebound to over 600 birds by the 1990's. The Red-crowned Crane is protected as a National Monument in South Korea and is also legally protected in North Korea and Russia.

A coin of the former state of Gwalior

Since the precolonial days, Gwalior was a significant place because of its location and is a commanding fort. Gwalior state was named after the old town of Gwalior and was ruled by the Sindhia dynasty. The foundation of this Indian kingdom was laid in the early 18th century by Ranoji Sindhia, a part of the Maratha Confederacy. During the reign of Mahadji Sindhia(1761-1794) the state became a powerful kingdom in North India.

It was the successive Anglo - Maratha Wars that brought Gwalior State under the British administration. In the colonial period it became a princely state and was the largest princely state in the Central India Agency. The Central India Agency was under the political control of the Gwalior residency.

It was in the year 1936 that Gwalior Residency was detached from the Central India Agency and was made accountable to the Governor General of India. After India`s independence in 1947, the Gwalior State was included in the new Indian state of Madhya Bharat.

The State of Gwalior was surrounded by the British districts of Jalaun and Jhansi of the United Provinces and the Saugor District of the Central Provinces in the east, the states of Bhopal, Khilchipur and Rajgarh in the south and the states of Jhalawar, tonk and Kotah of the Rajputana Agency in the west.Occupying an area of 64,856 sq. km. (25,041sq. miles.) the state was divided into two parts, the Gwalior or the Northern section and the Malwa section. The northern section spanned over an area of 44,082 sq. km. and was surrounded on the north, northeast and northwest by the Chambal River.This section comprised of seven zilas or districts which were Gwalior Gird, Bhind, Sheopur, Tonwarghar, Isagarh, Bhilsa and Narwar. The second part or the Malwa section was spread over an area of 20,774 sq. km. The city of Ujjain came under the Malwa section. This section consisted of four zilas Ujjain, Mandsaur, Shajapur and Amjhera. The zilas were under the control of the subahs or district magistrates which were further divided into parganas. Under one pargana there were several villages which were agained grouped under a patwari.

Ranoji Sindhia, the founder of the Sindhia kingdom was an ordinary attendant of Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. With his courage and determination, he became a trusted member of the Marathas and was given the responsibility to collect chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Malwa districts. Gradully the Sindhia empire developed with the headquarters in the ancient city of Ujjain. Sindhia died in 1745 and was succeded by his son Jayapa. He was followed by his son Jankoji who was put to death after he became a prisoner of war in the Third Battle of Panipat. He was succeeded by Mahadji Sindhia who ruled from 1761 to 1794. Mahadji left no successors and after him Daulat Rao, grandson of Mahadji`s brother Tukaji became the ruler of the kingdom. When Daulat Rao died in 1827 he was succeeded by Jankojirao II Sindhia who was not his own son but a legitimate and distant member of the family. Jankojirao died in 1843 and was succeeded by Jayajirao Sindhia. Jayajirao died in 1886 and was succeeded by his son Madhav Rao Sindhia. George Jivajirao Sindhia ruled the state of Gwalior as for a short time after which India attained her independence.

Gwalior is now an important commercial city in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Gwalior coin: Javajirao Shinde

This coin is struck in copper. The obverse shows the crude style "pug-nose" bust of Jivaji rao Shinde/Sindhia. The lettering in Hindi reads "Shri Javaji Rao Shinde Alija Bahadaur, Gwalior". Jivaji Rao was the last ruler of the state of Gwalior in the Sindhia dynasty, until India gained its independence in 1947. After India got its independence, the state of Gwalior was incorporated in the republic of India.

Gwalior coin Pav ana

The reverse shows the coat of arms of state of Gwalior. The lettering at the top reads "pav ana", which means 1/4 anna, the denomination of this coin. The lettering at the bottom reads "Samvat1986". This is the date of the coin. The dating is done in Vikram Samvat(VS). In Vikram Samvat, the counting had started from 57 BC. So we can simply subtract 57 from the year. 1986VS - 57 = 1929 AD.

coins of Gwalior state: Madhavrao Scindia

coins of Gwalior state: Jivajirao Scindia

10 rupee coin to roll out around this diwali

Firstly, I would like to clarify that this is not the first time that a 10 rupee coin has been minted by the government of India. The coins issued were mostly intended as a collector's item, and sometimes were also circulated(limited edition). The first 10 rupee coin minted by the government of India had Mahatma Gandhi on its back, and was minted in 1969-70. Even after that, a number of 10 rupee coins have been coming out on a regular basis, and I am the proud owner of a 10 rupee coin minted in 1973, commemorating the silver jubilee of the Indian independence.

But what is different this time is that we are a 10 rupee coin is now permanently coming into circulation by November 2009. To be more precise, three different 10 rupee coins are coming into circulation. Republic India has seen the mintage of 1 paisa, 2paisa, 3 paisa, 5 paisa, 10 paisa, 20 paisa, 25 paisa, 50 paisa, 1 rupee, 2 rupee, and 5 rupee into circulation for the general public after the anna series was made obsolete. The coins in denominations of less than 1 rupee are not minted now since their value is too low to buy anything. Even the 1,2 & 5 rupee are facing the brunt of depreciation and inflation as these coins are now minted at low quality. Now, 52 rupees make one dollar. As a result of the increasing inflation, the government has decided to mint 10 rupee coins now (coins up to denomination of rupees 1000 can be minted as per the coinage act of 1906). The coinage act of 1906 is unlikely to be amended by the end of this century, though it just might happen , and is eventually bound to happen.

The three designs decided for the ten rupee coins are: 'unity in diversity', 'mudras from Bharatnatyam', and 'connectivity and information technology'. The new themes will be printed on the reverse side of the coins. The obverse side will carry the Lion capital as well as the denomination in prominent roman numerals. The move is aimed at reducing the intrinsic value of the coins from their face value and taking care of security features against counterfeiting, apart from enabling easier identification.

An official release said notes of Rs. 10 denomination would continue to be printed and circulated, though in reduced quantity. The 10-rupee coin was being introduced to supplement the demand for the notes.

A new series of coins will also be started for the 1 rupee, 2 rupee and 5 rupee coins already in circulation.

Silver 10 rupee coins

Bimetallic 10 rupee coins

Indian 50 paise coins-III

50 paise: 50th year of independence

The reverse shows the denomination, the country, and the four headed lion symbol at the top.

This coin was minted in the commemoration of the completion of fifty years of independent India. India got its independence in 1947, and this coin was minted fifty years after that, ie in 1997. The Hindi inscription reads "swatantrata ka 50van varsh", which means the 50th year of Indian independence. The same is written in English as well. The figure shows Mahatma Gandhi leading many Indians in the Indian freedom struggle. In particular, it depicts the event of Dandi march. The British had imposed a tax on salt, and Gandhi decided to do a salt satayagrah.

The Salt Satyagraha was a campaign of non-violent protest against the British salt tax in colonial India which began with the Salt March to Dandi on March 12, 1930. It was the first act of organized opposition to British rule after Purna Swaraj, the declaration of independence by the Indian National Congress. Mahatma Gandhi led the Dandi march from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, Gujarat to make salt tax free, with growing numbers of Indians joining him along the way. When Gandhi broke the salt laws in Dandi at the conclusion of the march on April 6, 1930, it sparked large scale acts of civil disobedience against the British Raj salt laws by millions of Indians. This event was very significant in India's struggle for independence.

The image shown on the coin's obverse, the Dandi March , has also been immortalized in various places as a statue, or rather a series of statues of Mahatma Gandhi and his followers.

50 paise: national integration

The reverse shows the denomination, country and the four headed lion symbol. The obverse shows the map of India, and a map within it. The small dots on the left are the Lakshadweep Islands, and the line of dots below the "national integration" inscription and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Hindi inscription above the map reads "rashtriya ekta" which means national integration. The date can be seen at the bottom.

See also: National integration UNC set

50 paise: 50 years of RBI

The reverse shows the denomination, country, the four headed lion symbol, and "satyamev jayate" is written in Hindi. It means : truth alone triumphs. This was a question to Jamal Malik in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, for which he took an audience poll. The movie recently won as many as eight Oscars.

The reserve Bank is the Federal Bank of India and performs the following functions:
1)Monetary Functions in India: Formulates, implements and monitors the monetary policy – to ensure price stability and optimum flow of credit to productive sectors.
2)Regulatory and supervisory functions in India: Prescribes broad parameters of banking operations within which the country's banking and financial system operates - to maintain public confidence in the system, protect depositors' interest and provide cost-effective banking services to the public.
3)Management of Foreign Exchange in India: Manages the Foreign Exchange - to facilitate external trade and payment and promote orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India.
4)Issuance of currency in India: Issues and exchanges or destroys unfit currency and coins - to cater the public with adequate quantity of supplies of good quality currency notes and coins. 5)Developmental functions in India: Performs a wide promotional functions to meet national objectives.
6)Other Related Functions: Banker to the Government of India: performs merchant banking function for the central and the state governments; also acts as their banker.
The inscription at the bottom on the obverse reads "swarna jayanti" which means golden jubilee. The same is written in English as well. The Reserve Bank of India can be read in English and Hindi both. The Reserve Bank was established in 1935, and completed its 50 years in 1985. The symbol on the obverse shows a lion and a palm tree. This symbol is the mascot of the Reserve Bank of India. This symbol was adapted from the lion and palm tree was taken from the golden mohur (15 rupees) of William iiii. The mohurs of William iiii were the first proof coins minted in India.

Indian 50 paise coins-II

50 paise: Jawaharlal Nehru(English)

50 paise: Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindi)

The Jawaharlal Nehru 50 paisa coin had two versions: one having the name written in Hindi, and the other in English. This is the second version.

The Hindi inscription reads 'Jawaharlal Nehru', who was the first prime minister of republic India. He is usually depicted wearing a cap.

Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889[1]. – 27 May 1964) was a major political leader and pivotal figure in the Congress Party, and the first and longest-serving prime minister of independent India, serving from 1947 to 1964. As one of the founders of the Non-aligned Movement, he was an important figure in the international politics of the post-war era. He is also referred to as Pandit Nehru ("pandit," Sanskrit, "scholar", as honorific) and in India, as Panditji (-ji, honorific suffix).

The son of the wealthy Indian barrister and politician Motilal Nehru, Nehru became a leader of the left-wing of the Indian National Congress at a remarkably young age. Rising to Congress President under the mentorship of Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru was a charismatic, radical leader, advocating complete independence from the British Empire, and was eventually recognised as Gandhi's political heir. A life-long liberal, Nehru was also an advocate for Fabian socialism and the public sector as the means by which long-standing challenges of economic development could be addressed.

Nehru raised the flag of independent India in New Delhi on 15 August 1947, and served as Prime Minister. Nehru's appreciation for parliamentary democracy coupled with concerns for the poor and underprivileged enabled him to formulate policies that often reflected his socialist leanings. Both as prime minister and as Congress president, Nehru pushed through the Indian Parliament, dominated by members of his own party, a series of legal reforms intended to emancipate Hindu women and bring equality. These reforms included raising the minimum marriageable age from twelve to fifteen, empowering women to divorce their husbands and inherit property, and declaring illegal the ruinous dowry system. His long tenure was instrumental in shaping the traditions and structures of independent India. His daughter Indira Gandhi and grandson Rajiv Gandhi served as the Prime Ministers of India.

50 paise, 1992

This 50 paise coin shows the denomination country and the four headed lion symbol on the reverse, and the date, mint mark, country, a map of India, and the Indian Parliament on the obverse.

The Indian parliament has two houses, namely the Lok Sabha and the Rajya sabha. The Lok Sabha is also called "house of the people" or the lower house. The members are elected directly by the people from different consitutencies, and these elected members choose or elect the prime minister of India. There can be at most 552 members in this house. The Rajya sabha is also known as the "council of states" or the upper house. Its members are indirectly elected by members of the legislative assemblies of the different states. The Rajya Sabha has 250 members in all. Elections to it are scheduled and the chamber cannot be dissolved. Each member has a term of 6 years and elections are held for one-third of the seats after every 2 years. The members of the Rajya sabha have to be distinguished members are essentially distinguished personalities in their respective fields.

fifty paise, 1972

Indian 50 paise coins-I

50 paise, 2008

The latest 50 paise coin has a Bharatnatyam mudra design on the reverse. Many people do not accept 50 paisa as a legal tender these days and most people are not even aware that this 50 paisa coin exists.

50 paise: Indira Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi(1917-1984) was the prime minister of India for three terms, from 1966 to 1977; and fourth term from 1980 to 1984, when she was assasinated in the wake of operation blue star.

She is the only female prime minister of India till date, and was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India. She married Feroze Gandhi (no relation to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also called Mahatma Gandhi). She was brought up in a politically strong and influential household, and after the sudden demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri, she was thrust into the foremost ranks of congress by the congress president K.Kamaraj. She made politically correct moves and very influential, so she came into power. But some inabilities and some inefficiencies led to the enforcing of the emergency in the late 1970s. This caused her to be out of power for three years. She also devalued the rupee from 4 Re to a dollar to 7 Re/dollar, and charges of corruption were proved against her, but she refused to resign.

In 1984, some extremists in Punjab were in the holy shrine of Darbar sahib in Amritsar, and she went through with the hard military operation against those people, forgetting about the place and the civilian pilgrims there. This operation was named 'operation bluestar', and was the cause of her assasination at the hands of two of her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh.

50 paise: fisheries

This 50 paise coin shows the four headed lion symbol and the denomination on the reverse. We can also see "satyamev jayate" in Hindi. This phrase means 'truth alone triumphs'. This was a question to Jamal Malik in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, which recently won as many as eight oscars.

The obverse of this 1986 fifty paise coin commemorates the fisheries industry of India. India is a peninsula and has a very long coastline. A large number of people earn their livelihood through fishing, and this also provides for the food of thousands of people in India. The fishing industry of India has grown five-fold since its independence in 1947. The inscription in Hindi says "matsya udyog" which means fisheries industry.

Fifty paise , 1970

This is the 50 paise coin of 1970. The reverse reads "pachas paise" which means fifty paisa, and also "rupaye ka adha bhag" which means 1/2 part of a rupee. The obverse shows the country and the four headed lion symbol.

Canada dollar $$

One dollar, 1987

This one dollar coin is made of aureate-bronze plated nickel, and is also called a Loonie. The reverse shows a duck at the centre, the denomination and the date. The obverse shows a young queen Elizabeth II. D.G.Regina is also written. It stands for Die Gratia Regina , and is Latin for "by grace of the god, queen." Duck hunting is apparently a popular sport in Canada. Ducks come to the place every year by the millions.

The name "Loonie" comes from the Great Northern Diver(a bird), known in North America as the Common Loon(Gavia immer). It is a large member of the loon, or diver family of birds.

Two dollar, 1996

The Canadian 2 dollar coin is called the Toonie and was introduced in 1996. The coin is made of bimetallic strip.The obverse shows queen Elizabeth II, the date and "D.G.Regina". The reverse shows a polar bear, and the denomination. Polar bears are huge bears that are found in and around the Arctic. Now they are an endangered species because of reckless hunting and lack of natural habitat. Canada allows sport hunting of these bears as opportunities of employment are scarce. It is believed that the polar bear will become extinct by the end of this century, primarily because of global warming. The natural habitat of these bears, the icy Arctic , will melt and will cause their extinction. But at the same time, we will see the rise of the "grolar bear", which will be a hybrid of a polar bear and a grizzly bear.

Now why is this coin called the Toonie? It is called so because of one dollar coin is called the Loonie. This one is two dollar coin, so it is called the Toonie. Case closed.

Canada cents

1 cent, 2006

The reverse shows the maple leaf, which is widely recognized symbol of Canada.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000. Also by this time, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the Canadians along the Saint Lawrence River.

Its popularity with French Canadians continued, and was reinforced when, at the inaugural meeting of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste in 1834, the maple leaf was one of numerous emblems proposed to represent the society. Speaking in its favour, Jacques Viger, the first mayor of Montreal, described the maple as "the king of our forest; ... the symbol of the Canadian people."

The Royal Standard of Canada showing a sprig of three maple leaves as part of the design.

The flag of Canada, featuring a stylized maple leaf in the centre.

The maple leaf slowly caught on as a national symbol: in 1868, it was included in the coat of arms of both Ontario and Quebec, and was added to the Canadian coat of arms in 1921. In 1867, Alexander Muir composed the patriotic "The Maple Leaf Forever," which became an unofficial anthem in English-speaking Canada. From 1876 until 1901, the leaf appeared on all Canadian coins, and remained on the penny after 1901. During the First World War, badges of the Canadian Expeditionary Force were often based on a maple leaf design. The use of the maple leaf as a regimental symbol extended back to the 1800s, and Canadian soldiers in the Second Boer War were distinguished by a maple leaf on their sun helmets.

The maple leaf finally became the central national symbol with the introduction of the Canadian flag (designed by George F. G. Stanley) in 1965, which uses a highly-stylized eleven-pointed maple leaf, referring to no specific species of maple.

The obverse shows the queen Elizabeth II,  and D.G. Regina on the obverse. D.G. regina stands for die gratia regina, and it means by grace of the god, queen.

5 cents, beaver: 2004

The reverse shows the beaver dividing the denomination and the date,and the obverse shows Elizabeth II.

5 cents, 1984

The five cent coin is also called a nickel. The obverse of this coin shows a young Elizabeth II and the reverse shows a beaver, which divides the denomination and the date.So what exactly is the connection between Canada and the beaver?

One would think with the size and wilderness of Canada that the animal most associated with the country would be the moose, or the bear. But no, it's the quiet, unassuming, hard working beaver...........actually, maybe it's a perfect representation after all...

But, how did the beaver become "the animal of Canada"? Famous enough to grace the Canadian nickel and receive official Canadian emblem status. Truth be told, it is a sordid story beginning with greed and death in the 1600's.

Europeans travelled to Canadian shores, and instead of the spices they had hoped to find, they discovered a country teaming with busy little beavers. Not a big deal except, fur hats were becoming all the rage. As the popularity for beaver chapeau's grew, the European population of beavers declined. As a result, the exploration of Canada was largely due to the furry little creature with the flat tail.

France's King Henry IV thought beavers were a great way earn an income while building a new empire on Canadian shores. The Hudson's Bay Company, Canada's oldest and longest running business made so much money from the fur industry that they added four beavers to their coat of arms in 1678. A coin was developed around the same time that was equal in value to one beaver pelt.

The reason beaver fur was so sought after for hat making is because the fur has little barbs on the end of each hair; when pressed together they become like felt and is probably what keeps the beaver dry and warm while swimming.

By the mid-19th century the beaver had almost been trapped into extinction - it was estimated that Canada was home to six million of Canada's largest rodents prior to the fur hat fashion season. When the demand for beaver pelts was at its highest, 100,000 pelts per year were being shipped to Europe. Fortunately for Canadians - and the beaver - fashions change; eventually beaver was out and silk was in.

5 cents, 1992: 125th anniversary of confederation

Canada was under British rule from 1764 to 1867. 1992 was Canada's 125th anniversary of confederation, and commemorative coins like this one were issued to celebrate the occasion. 

10 cent, yacht : 2008

The reverse shows the country, date, denomination and a yacht. Probably yachting is a popular sport in Canada as it has a long coastline. The Northern coastline would be frozen throughout the year and the Eastern coastline should be thawn in the summers, making it ideal for yachting.

 25 cent, moose: 1975

The reverse shows a moose, value and date. The moose is the largest species of deer, and is found in all parts of Canada and Alaska. Obverse shows Elizabeth II.

25 cent, 2003

The current 25 cent coin shows a moose, the date, denomination and country on the reverse; and the figure of the queen Elizabeth II, and D.G. Regina on the obverse. D.G. regina stands for die gratia regina, and it means by grace of the god, queen.

Thailand 10, 5 Baht

On the Thailand coins, it is quite difficult to decipher the date and all firstly because the date and the inscription is written in Thai-Lao. Secondly, Thailand usually follows the Buddhist era(BE) for its dating, which is different that the A.D. system that we use. In Thailand, the Ratanakosindok era(RS) and the Chula-Sakarat (CS) era. 2007 AD has 2550 BE, 226 RS and 1369 CS as its counterpart equivalent in the three different dating systems. Thailand was known as Siam until 1939, and since 1946, has been ruled by Rama IX(Phra Maha Bhumifhol Adulyadei) , who also features on the coins dated 1946 and onwards.

Thailand 10 Baht, 2007

This coin is Bi-metallic. The rim is stainless steel and the centre is Aluminium-Bronze. The reverse here shows the temple of the dawn. The date reads 2550 BE, which converts to 2007AD. The Wat Aran or Wat Arun temple discussed abo is also better known as the temple of the dawn.

The famous Wat Aran , perhaps better known as the Temple of the Dawn, is one of the best known landmarks and one of the most published images of Bangkok. It consists of a massive elongated prang (Khmer-style tower), and is surrounded by four smaller prangs. The prang is described by the Tourism Authority of Thailand as 104m high, while most other sources quote figures around 80-85m. It is decorated by bits of porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China, a hallmark of the reign of King Rama III. The Wat had a brief period as host of the celebrated Emerald Buddha, which now resides in nearby Wat Phra Kaew.

The Wat really looks better from a distance than close up, and you're not missing out too much even if you only view from across the river. The grounds are fairly pleasant and peaceful though, with good murals and a main Buddha image supposedly designed by King Rama II. The mythical guardians here are also quite impressive, though very similiar to those at Wat Phra Kaew.

Five Baht, 1987

The reverse shows the Suphannahong, royal grand palace. We can see the year 2530 at the bottom. The date reads 2530 BE, which converts to 1987 AD.

The royal barges are rarely used by the royal family these days because of their age. A few of them are now preserved in the Royal Barge National Museum on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. The eight long, narrow boats on display are intricately gilded and each need between 50 and 60 rowers to take their oars. The figure on the bow of each boat signifies whether it carries the King and Queen or other members of the royal family. The most important barge is the Suphannahong, exclusively used by the King.

The Royal Grand Palace is a glittering walled complex that houses several palaces, all highly decorated with tiles and ceramics. Building began in 1782 when Bangkok was founded as the capital of Thailand. The complex houses Wat Phra Kaeo, the holiest of all Thai temples, where the sacred Emerald Buddha rests, not covered in emeralds but jade. There is a strict dress code and visitors wearing shorts, mini-skirts, sleeveless shirts or flip-flops will be refused entry, although it is possible to hire trousers and plastic shoes.

5 Baht, 2008

The reverse shows the Penjahwat. The date on the reverse reads 2551 BE, which converts to 2008 AD.

singapore dollar

The current series shows the Singapore coat of arms on the obverse, and a floral theme on the reverse.

Five cents, 1995

Metal: aluminium-bronze

Diameter: 16.25mm

Reverse: fruit salad plant

Edge: reeded

10 cents, 1986

Weight: 2.85gm

Metal: copper-nickel

Diameter: 19.4mm

Reverse: star jasmine plant above value

Edge: reeded

50 cents, 1995

Metal: copper-nickel

Reverse: yellow Alamanda plant above value

1 dollar, 1989

Metal: Copper-nickel

Reverse: periwinkle flower

Using elements from the national flag, the Singapore coat of arms symbolizes the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia.

The Symbolism: The central emblem of the coat of arms is a red shield with five white stars resting above a white crescent. The crescent and five stars are also used on the Singapore flag and other various national symbols. The symbolism of the red colour, along with the white crescent and stars is the same as that of the national flag. The supporters of the shield are a lion and a tiger; the tiger symbolizes the historical connections to Malaysia, and the lion symbolizes Singapore. Below the supporters is a blue ribbon with the national motto, "Majulah Singapura" written in gold. This means "onward Singapore" in Malay. This is also the title of the national anthem of Singapore.

Malaysian sen

Malaysia's currency is ringgit/dollar. And 1/100th part of a ringgit is a sen.

1 sen , 2007

Metal: bronze clad steel

Obverse: denomination dividing date below flower

Reverse: drum

5 sen, 1973

Metal: Copper-nickel

Obverse: denomination, country and date

10 sen, 2007

Metal: copper-nickel

Diameter: 19.3mm

Obverse: denomination dividing date below flower

Reverse: Malay traditional game congkak

10 sen, 1981

20 sen , 1990

The flower shown on these coins is the national flower of Malaysia, the Hibiscus, or the Bunga Raya. The flower was chosen to be the national flower of Malaysia as it was abundantly found in Malaysia and the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman chose it to be the national flower in 1960.

There are many varieties of this flower but the five petalled Hibiscus was chosen over the others as it is most symbolically relevant. The five petals symbolize the Rukungera(five principles of nationhood)  and the colour red symbolizes courage. The flower also has a number of medicinal and cosmetic uses. It is believed that the flower first arrived in Malaysia via trade from its original home in the Far East sometime before the 12th century.