His love for high-denomination currency notes helped a numismatist from Alappuzha enter the Limca Book of Records.
G. Sreehari Vishnu (26) has a collection of 150 currency notes in denominations ranging from 100 to 100 trillion from 53 countries.
The record set by Sreehari for having the ‘largest collection of currency notes of denomination 100 and above’ has found mention in the Limca Book of Records 2023 under the currency, coins, and stamps category.
He started collecting currency notes and coins 14 years ago. “My father Ganesh Babu was in Border Security Force (BSF) and had a good collection of coins and currency notes. He handed over the collection to me and I further expanded it. I applied for the record in 2021 and now have high-denomination currency notes from 100 countries,” says Sreehari adding that his teacher Jayan R. Krishnan was a big inspiration in the initial years.
The largest denomination of paper money in his collection is a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. It was issued during a period of hyperinflation in the African country. “The prices of essentials there rose rapidly and the government issued larger denominations to match market prices. The Zimbabwean government later withdrew the 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note and it remains a priced item for many collectors,” he says.
Sreehari who is a physiotherapist by profession collects currency notes, coins, and stamps through exchanges, gifts, and by taking part in auctions. “Several of the notes and coins in my collection are gifted by friends and relatives. I also exchange items with other collectors and purchase currency notes by paying exchange rates,” says Mr. Sreehari.
Apart from high-denomination currency notes, he has a good collection of commemorative bank notes, notes of famous personalities in the world, and those bearing serial numbers that match birthdays and vehicle numbers.
His coin collection includes those depicting government organisations, special events, freedom fighters, monuments, British Indian coins, foreign coins, and so on. He is supported by his father, mother Bindhu, and brother Sreesyam.
