Abu Dhabi: An Indian security guard is aiming for a Guinness World Record with coins from the largest number of countries.
Said Roshan, 27, from Kerala, could be inching closer to his dream with his incredible collection that already covers more than 323 countries (including those that no longer exist, as well as provinces and islands). “This is a result of my effort for the last 20 years. But I want to enhance the collection and create a world record. I think I am short of coins from at least 60 or 70 countries,” Roshan told XPRESS.
Some of his rare collection includes a 2,500-year-old Indian coin from the Mauryan dynasty of Emperor Ashoka, a gold coin issued by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and a gold ‘fanam’ minted in AD1776 by Tipu Sultan of Mysore.
Roshan says he got hooked on the hobby when he was just seven. “My first coin was an American dime. I got it accidentally from a grocery store in Kerala,” he said.
Since then he has been building his collection, which now weighs around 70kg. Roshan says he does not have a count in numbers.
The monetary value of the coins is an estimated Dh80,000. But its real worth is priceless.
Coins from ancient dynasties, erstwhile kingdoms and former European colonies spanning various continents are all neatly arranged and labelled in the plastic folders among his albums, which he keeps under lock and key at his company accommodation in Al Mafraq.
Roshan also as a UAE album containing all the coins minted in the Emirates to the present time. Among them are coins commemorating the UAE Chess Olympiad in 1973, a 1991 coin issued after the UAE’s debut in the 1990 Football World Cup and the latest one, minted on the 60th anniversary of the UAE’s first oil shipment.
Roshan says his collection grew after he came to the UAE four years ago.
“You have friends and colleagues of so many different nationalities. That is a great advantage.”
But the hobby verging on obsession has often proven a bit too expensive for this guard whose monthly salary is Dh3,500.
“I source out coins even from the net. Some coins cost Dh800 or even more. But I can’t resist the temptation,” says Roshan who is currently hunting for a full set of coins from all 18 princely states of British India.
Coin collecting has also turned this security guard into a history buff. Roshan can identify every coin from his vast collection, and rattle out its origin and historic significance without blinking an eyelid.
As you look at him and wonder how he does it, he says: “Is it difficult to identify one’s own kids?”
