Asma Mirza
Time was changing when I opened my eyes to this world; everything seemed to be going ‘online’. But still it was not that bad – we still were living our offline lives too. It was time when stamp collection, reading books in their ‘hard copy format’, gaming (offline) with hands and feet involved, making scrap books, collecting dolls, coin collection were few of the more common hobbies instead of chatting, surfing online and downloading music.
I inherited not the coin collection hobby but the coins themselves from my sis (and probably my parents too since she cannot collect coins issued years before her).
I remember years back when someone would come from any foreign land me and my siblings’ would surely ask for some coin tokens to add up in our collection. And it used to be great time of pleasure for me to open up my sis’ stamp and coin collections whenever she was away, as a feast.
To date, State Bank of Pakistan has issued numerous (and many uncountable too) coins of different denominations; from Takka to Paisa, 5 paisa’s to 50 paisas’s and then quarter rupee to 5 rupee coin. Since, I’ve a 100 Rupee coin too; so I guess, as commemoration, larger denominations in fewer amounts were issued too. Interestingly, whether 25 paisas or 50 paisas, the term Paisa was more popular, but I came across a 10 Pice too issued in 1961. I guess people were more comfortable with paisa than pice! Quarter rupee or ‘aadh pao’ was an interesting term too :)
English, Urdu, Bangla and Arabic are some of the main languages inscribed on these coins from time to time. With language, size and shapes also saw no restrictions but the rounder coins remained the most popular with issuing authorities. 
In the 1970’s and 1980’s the one rupee coin was of much better size than today’s 5 rupee coin and the value matters too (Ouch at Rupee devaluation).
Coins were used as phone tokens too back in time till early 80’s – now the calling cards rocks. While I was looking for coins online, I found an interesting site showing off real ancient coins such as this billon, issued in 1200’s by a Sindh ruler, with a horse embarked on it and even a coin from Akbar’s time too.
The oldest coin, I have, is from early times of Pakistan i.e., 1948. Other notable coins are the ones issued to commemorate 100th birth celebrations of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1976 and Allam Iqbal in 1977, Islamic Summit conference 74, Beginning of Al-Hijrah in 1401 and even one coin with the slogan that “Pedawar Barhao” jo aaj tak na barhii!
For some reasons, amongst most Pakistanis, metallic and plastic money is still not popular; it’s more of a burden than ease.
I wonder if, over time, our coins would come cherished as collectable items some time. After all, in countries like USA, UK, Canada, rare coins such as 50p coins, stamps and even game tickets are sold for hundreds of dollars, and more!
Asma Mirza blogs at FunInLife and also at Metroblog Islamabad.
Hello Haseeb Naz,
I can help you with pourchase of PATTERN coins of Pakistan., Presently 7 coins detailed as under are available:
2 5 Rupia coins showing Qaid portraits and one showing the building of the parliament N same reverse as current 5 Rupia coin.
2 5 Rupia coins with portraits of Allah Iqbal on Obverse N
Building of Parliament on one N Faisal Mosque on other.
1 5 Rupia coin with same features as current 5 rupia coin, but Reverse has more elaborate floral pattern
all above 5 coins are dated as 2001 and Cu-Nickle
All five coins seems to be PROOF PATTERN COINS
1 5 Rupia coin on same pattern as 5 Rupia coin issued as 5oth anniversary of United Nation.
Date of isuue 1995
This coin is in NICLE instead of COPPER.
1 50 Rupia coin
Same pattern bas 50 Rupia coin issued as 50th Anniversary of our Independence.
Year of issue: 1997.
Metal COPPER instead of Cup.Nickle.
Those interested can contact me.
Yousuf
Hi Dorothy,
The coin you refer is a current 1 Rupia coin, it is Bronze and copper coin, first year of its issue is 1998 and issued till 2006 , but a new version of same Qaid Azam Jinnah’s portrait on Obverse and Mosque on everse was issued in 2007.
Yousuf
I have read post about a coin with 4 Khulfae Rashideen on one side and Mosque on the othe side with Madinah Sharif written there off, and from time to time same piece is reffered to me for attribution.
I want to clarify that it is not a COIN, but a MEMEMTO of Hajj and Madinah Munawarah , which the Hajis used to bring from Madinah Munawarah during Pre-partition days.
One can still pick up these mementos from footpath dealers of Bolton market of Karachi or equally from old coin dealers of Lahore Etc.
Yousuf
Salaam everyone,
My name is Waqi and i’m from London. I collect coins from all around the world, but i’m more keen collecting British Indian, Indian, and Pakistani coins.
Due to the reason i live in London its hard to get Pakistani coins here, eventhough i have visited many exhibitions in London as well as many other coin shops.
Right now i have more then 30,000 coins, majority of them are British Coins.
I hardly been to pakistan, but i love to know someone who have the same interest and willing to swap.
I don’t mind buying coins, specially “commemorative coins”. I can’t locate any website about Pakistani coin community or Pakistani coin forum, neither i could locate Pakistan Numismatic Society.
I’ll be more happy to know anyone who is keen to share the same interest.
Many thanks for reading my saying.
Waqi Ahmed
waqiahmed@hotmail.com
Or if there is i can do for anybody regarding the same interest, i’ll be more then happy to assist you in any way.
It is fortunate that some dealers have started obtainting and offering Pakistani used coins and same are available in Raja Bazaar of Pindi and Super N Jinnah Super markets of Islamabad.
Pakistani coins of which so far there are 300 examples ( includes 4 Gold and 5 silver), but around 65 representative examples is oon going to be extinct examples the few examples with the dedicated pakistanse who love their heritage.
It is a tragedy and almost a crime that smelters of Gujranwalla are working overtime to obtain all the remaing of our precious heritage and turning the same into copper wires.
There should be a law to protect and save one of the most undesttructable evidence of our heritage ( of which there are a few sadly). A dedicated campaign should be launched in this respect and State Bank of Pakistan should also intervene in this matter in the form of issuing instruction not to mutilate or change the shape of the remaing cois with the public.
M.Youuf Dehlavi