Numismatic Collections

Strengthening ties between British numismatic collections and specialists in India, Pakistan and elsewhere

Partners

  • British Museum
  • University of Peshwar
  • University of Kolkota
  • Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies

Aims

  • To develop a series of internships for colleagues in South Asia to study the numismatic collections at the British Museum and across the UK

Project details

Internships for experts from India and Pakistan
The internships at the British Museum enable six numismatic experts from India, Pakistan and elsewhere in the region to further their understanding of coin collections at the Museum and across the UK.

The Museum is also developing links with the British Library, the India Office Collection, the International Dunhuang Project and the Victoria and Albert's Indian Section on this project.

First internship: Kushan coin collection research
Dr Gul Rahim from the University of Peshwar came to the British Museum in January 2009 for a month to create an inventory of the late Kushan coin collection. This is now available on the British Museum's Merlin database.

Dr Rahim was assisted by specialists at the British Museum, including Joe Cribb (Keeper of Coins and Medals), Dr Elizabeth Errington (Masson Project Curator) and Robert Bracey (Kushan Coin Project Curator).

This relationship with the Museum's Department of Coins and Medals has enabled Dr Rahim to gain a post-doctoral fellowship from the Pakistan Higher Education Council. He has returned to the Museum to continue with his numismatic research.

Future internships
Later in 2009, five other experts will be visiting the UK:

  • Dr Sutupa Sinha and Dr Sumita Basu-Majumdar from the University of Kolkota
  • Amiteshwar Jha and Danish Moin from the Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies
  • Professor Nasim Khan from the University of Peshwar

Two of the experts will be attending the International Numismatic Congress held in Glasgow in September.

Image:
Copper coin of the Kushan King Vasudeva II , c. AD 275 – 320, issued in Gandhara (Ancient Pakistan)

Copper coin of the late Kushan King Vasudeva II
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