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Sunday 31 December 2023

3135) Did You Know Series (89): Chal Basi Chavanni" ("The Four Anna/Twenty Five Paise Coin Passes away"):

3135) Did You Know Series (89): Chal Basi Chavanni" ("The Four Anna/Twenty Five Paise Coin Passes away"):

This is a memory from June 2011. It is one of the posts that I share on my blog from memory at the end of every year.

"It was the early days of my Numismatic Blog exclusivecoins.blogspot.com. 

One day I received a strange message on my email address that Sid Srivastava a leading Social Media TV producer, then working for STAR NEWS wanted me to contact him immediately as he was working on a documentary on the demonetisation of the 25 Paise coin on 30.06.2011. 

Initially, I thought it was a "prank" message. Intrigued, I checked up Sid's name on the internet. It turned out that he was one of the most popular, written about social media programme producers in the news media. 

Tentatively, I called him back on his mobile. He was very courteous and wanted me to participate in a TV show on the evolution of the 4.00 Anna/25 Paise Coin and its ultimate phasing out.

He shared that his team had printed out material posted on sites on the 25 paise coin from all over the internet, but when he read my post, he discarded all the other material presented by his team. 

One line on my blog caught his attention - "taking away the 25 Paise coins for melting into base metal was like puppies being sent to the pound" - which helped him to develop the story.

I was asked to send the key questionaire in English to be translated into perfect Hindi. His team immediately translated every question in Hindi and sent me the same, till both of us were satisfied that the questionaire was worded perfectly.

I spent the next 12 hours studying the questionnaire and thinking out my answers. After all I was going to feature on National television, with affiliated media in several countries. 

Meanwhile Sid redirected his team which was doing an assignment in Aurangabad to immediately come to Pune for filming my documentary. He was very meticulous about the whole matter. 

His New Delhi team went to Chandni Chowk, New Delhi to scout for four anna silver coins, but could not find any to put up on the show. He requested me if I had any silver four anna coins. He was quite relieved when I replied in the affirmative. 

I brought out a 1926 four silver anna coin from my bank locker, which proved to be a "showstopper" for the entire programme.

The camera team came in the afternoon next day. They immediately rearranged the "Vaastu" of our dning room, where the filming was to take place. I had to hold each individual coin in my left hand which was picked up by one camera for a close-range photo, while the other camera took long distance video of my talk.

Next, Sid had to figure out the presentation of the entire documentary - which began with Shahrukh Khan sitting in a long-distance coach and drinking a glass of water from a little vendor on the platform paying him a 25 Paise coin. 

The documentary mentioned the famous fued betwee Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar which went something like this " ........ Barah Anna" etc. 

The doucmentary then traced the evolution of the Four Anna Coin from a 100% Silver Coin before 1939, to a Base metal coin in 1947, later shrinking in size, till it lost its value. 

The 25 Paise Coin did its bit for "Social Forestry" and for the "Rural Women's Development Programme", but its time for usage was up. 

The documentary had two coin historians to give their two-bits and a munimji to add a comic relief, which Sid shared later was added because the youngsters did not know anything about a 25 Paise coin.

The programme was so well received that excerpts were flashed after every news item/programme on STAR NEWS throughout the day. It was aired the next day too on popular demand.

I received around 300 calls, including from my SBI friends from all over India congratulating me for a well-conducted programme. In several SBI branches, the show was exhibited on the Branch TV. Several persons/customers of SBI called me to tell me that they were taking their "chavannis" back home after realising the historic value of the little "beauties".

One customer from a Pune SBI branch called me to specifically tell me that he had brought five bagfuls of coins, which he was taking back home now on seeing my documentary.

I had become an instant star in my Gym. One lady instructor called me home to tell me that - OMG, I am seeing you on TV. Really amazing".

Sid was very happy with the presentation of the documentary. Several persons including from his rival TV stations called him to congratulate him for a well-made programme.

Busy as he was, Sid called me for almost an hour. The documentary was his "Magnum Opus". 

That was the last that I heard from him.

I learnt later that the TV documentary was nominated for and won the best prize in the annual competition, results for which were declared in 2012.

What did the show do for my blog?

Well, for one thing, the viewership went up considerably. From about 300 views per day, more that 3 to 7000 visitors come to the blog every day. 

Although the TV programme is long forgotten with the passage of time, the popularity of my blog has held its own ever since and has presently crossed 13.3 million views.




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3134) "Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon")", Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Temple or Shrine dedicated to the Moon: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2014:

3134) "Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon")", Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Temple or Shrine dedicated to the Moon: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2014:

The Central Reserve Bank of Peru in 2010 unveiled the design for one-sol coins, in its numismatic series called “Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru").

The "Wealth and Pride of Peru" series first began in 2010 with the issue of the Golden Tumi as its motif.

Successive coins were issued such as the Karajia Sarcophagi, the Estela de Raimondi, the Chullupas of Sillustani, Machu Picchu, the Monastery of Santa Catalina, the Saywite Stone, the Great Pajaten, the Real Felipe Fortress, and the Temple of Vilcashuamán, and the Ruins/Monolith of Kuntur Wasi.

The Coins launched in this one-sol series included 26 unique designs reflecting Peru’s history and traditions.

Peru’s Central Bank has issued a new sol coin featuring the "Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon")" in 2014 in its Wealth and Pride series of collectors’ coins.

"Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon")":

The Museum

The Adobe Tile Work

A burial site

This is a large adobe brick structure built mainly by the "Moche people" of Northern Peru. 

Along with the "Huaca del Sol", the "Huaca de la Luna" is part of "Huacas de Moche", which is the remains of an ancient Moche capital city called "Cerro Blanco", by the volcanic peak of the same name.

The Huacas de Moche site is located 4 km outside the modern city of Trujillo, near the mouth of the Moche River valley. 

The Huaca de la Luna, although it is the smaller of the two huacas at the site, has yielded the most archaeological information. 

The "Huaca del Sol" was partially destroyed and looted by Spanish conquistadors in the seventeenth century, who were out to destroy all other cultures, without undestanding the significant characteristics of these cultures, while the Huaca de la Luna was left relatively untouched. 

Archeologists believe that the "Huaca del Sol" for administrative, military, and residential functions, as well as a burial mound for the Moche elite. The Huaca de la Luna served primarily a ceremonial and religious function, although it contains burials as well.

Present Day:

The "Huaca de la Luna" is coloured soft brown of its adobe brickwork. 

At the time of construction, it was decorated in registers of murals that were painted in black, bright red, sky blue, white, and yellow. The sun and weather have since utterly faded these murals away. 

Inside the Huaca are other murals created in earlier phases of construction. 

Many of these depict a deity now known as "Ayapec". "Ayapec" is a "Muchik" word translating as "all knowing").

Many of the later bricks used in the structure bear one of more than 100 different markings, corresponding to groups of labourers from different communities. 

Each "team" was assigned a mark to put on their bricks and these were used to count the number of bricks laid for financial as well as competitive purposes.

The "Huaca de la Luna" is a large complex of three main platforms, each one serving a different function: 

The Northernmost platform, at one time brightly decorated with a variety of murals and reliefs, was destroyed by looters.

 The surviving Central and Southern platforms have been the focus of most excavations. 

The Central platform has yielded multiple high-status burials interred with a variety of fine ceramics, suggesting that it was used as a burial ground for the Moche religious elite. The grave goods found at the Huaca del Sol suggest it may have been used for the interment of political rulers.

The Eastern platform, black rock, and adjacent patios were the sites of human sacrifice rituals. 

These are depicted in a variety of Moche graphic representations, most notably painted ceramics. After the sacrifice, bodies of victims would be hurled over the side of the Huaca and left exposed in the patios. 

Researchers have discovered multiple skeletons of adult males at the foot of the rock, all of whom show signs of trauma, usually a severe blow to the head, as the cause of death.

The World Monuments Fund has been working at Huaca de la Luna to support needed conservation work. This includes ongoing assessments, documentation, stabilisation, and consolidation of excavated architectural and decorative elements.

Commemorative Coin:

The Reverse of the One Sol Coin features the "God of the mountains, the Supreme Mochica divinity in the centre. 
To the right is the mint mark "LIMA" of the National Mint House.  

Inscribed towards the centre left periphery is the inscription - "HUACA DE LA LUNA. S. I - IX d.C.".

Vertically engraved is seen "1 NEUVO SOL".

On the Obverse of all Peruvian Coins, the National Coat of Arms, the inscription "Banco Central de Reserva del Peru" is seen on the upper Periphery and the Year of Minting is placed on the lower periphery - "2014".

The specifications of the One Sol Coin are:

Country of issue: Republic of Peru; Coin Series Theme: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"); Coin Theme: "Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon")"; Coin Quality: Circulation Commemorative Coin; Date/Year of Coin issue: 26.11.2013; Denomination of Coin: 1 (One Nuevo Sol); Metal Composition: Nickel-brass; Weight: 7.32 grams; Diameter/Size: 25.5 mm; Thickness: 1.9 mm; Minted By: National Mint House;  Mint Mark: LIMA; Mintage: 10.00 Million pieces; Shape: Round; Technique: Milled; Orientation/Coin alignment: ↑↓; Edge: Reeded.   








Links to Posts on Peru:














17) "Paracas Textiles/Textile Art of Paracas", Peru Cpin: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru" ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the unique fenerary Textile Work/Art: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2013

18) "Real Filipe Fortress of "King Philip's Fortress", Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru" (Wealth and Pride of Puru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the ruins of the fortified fortress: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2013

19) "Tunanmarca" or "Tunan Marca" or "Siquillapucara", Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru" ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol coin showcases the Tunanmarca Archeological Complex/Buildings: Date/Year of Coin issue: 26.11.2023

20) "Sacred City of Caral-Supe" (or "Caral"), Peru" Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru" ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Archeological buildings: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2014

21) "Huaca de la Luna" ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon"), Peru: Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru" ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Temple or Shrine dedicated to the Moon: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2014

Links to Posts on Argentina:


Links to Posts on Guyana:

1) A $500 (Five Hundred Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana

2) A $1000 (One Thousand Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana: Date of Banknote issue: 04.03.2019

Links to Posts on Turks and Caicos Islands:

1) A Quarter Crown (1/4) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was only issued in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1986

2) A Half Crown (1/2) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was issued only in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1982

Links to Posts on Curacao on this Blog:

1) Festival di Tumba (Carnival of Curacao), Curacao: "50th Edition of the Curacao Carnival/Festival" held from 27-31.01.2020: A set of six Commemorative Postage Stamps brought out by Cpost (Curacao Post) on 20.02.2020

2) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021

3) Willemstad, Curacao: 25 Years of UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of 16 postage stamps celebrating the milestone: Date of Stamps set issue: 18.08.2022

4) Willemstad, (Dutch, Caribbean Island, Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature this historic city: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023

For some other interesting posts on Currencies of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, please visit the following links:








Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage


24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 


1) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021

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