| Interested in coins and collectibles? | | | | intrinsic value because they were made of |
| Then coins of Kutch are sure to catch your | | | | semi-precious metals. Now what happened with |
| fancy. | | | | the coins with George V was that the metal from |
| Kutch region which is now a part of Gujarat was | | | | which it was made went up in value. The result |
| a separate princely state before India got | | | | was intrinsic value of the coin was more than its |
| independence in 1947. These princely states were | | | | official value. So many of them were smelted and |
| pretty independent as far as their internal | | | | now there are very few such coins around. |
| administration went though the British had overall | | | | Another coin of Kutch had the name of King |
| power on them. Kutch had its own currency like | | | | Edward VIII on it. The rarity value of this coin lies |
| some other big states of the British India. | | | | in the fact that Edward VIII was a king for only |
| While India had a rupee as its main unit of | | | | about eight months. His reign was so short that |
| currency, Kutch had a kori. This was further | | | | the British didn't have time to put him on their |
| divided into smaller units. Kutch had got the | | | | own coins. But Kutch did put him on its own coins |
| permission to mint its own coins from the Mughal | | | | as did one other princely state of India. Perhaps |
| rulers and used to put the names of the Mughal | | | | these are the only two places where you can find |
| emperors on the coins along with the Kutch rulers. | | | | coins with the name Edward VIII. |
| So when Kutch came under the British, it started | | | | While these coins, though rare, can perhaps be |
| putting the names of the British monarchs on its | | | | found by a coin enthusiast. But there are some |
| coins. | | | | other currency items of Kutch which you can only |
| Kutch minted its own coins up to 1948 when it | | | | see in museums. |
| merged with the independent Indian union. In this | | | | One such coin is a ten-kori piece which never |
| way all coins of Kutch are collectible items | | | | went into circulation. Others are currency notes of |
| because every Kutch coin that you can find is at | | | | Kutch. Kutch like other states wanted to have |
| least over 60 years old. But even among them | | | | currency notes to replace the metal coins to |
| are some real rarities. | | | | some extent. But they never got the sanction |
| As said above Kutch coins had on them the name | | | | and now remain museum pieces which you can |
| of the British monarch of the day. So naturally | | | | look at in the Kutch Museum but not have at any |
| there was a coin with the name of George V | | | | price. |
| also. Those were the days when coins had | | | | |