A seminar was also held on the sidelines of the exhibition of rare coins and currency notes organised by Numismatic Society of Bangladesh (NSB) at the National Press Club. Participants focussed on the contribution of coin collectors and researchers in the gradual recovery of the long-lost history of this part of the world.

The exhibition put on display 838 coins made of gold, silver, copper and nickel and 95 currency notes of different countries including Britain, Germany, Russia, Japan, Greece, Belgium, South Africa, China, France, and Indonesia.

The exhibits included some rare coins issued during World War I and II. Indian and Bangladeshi coins and paper money issued with "gross errors" like minting on wrong metal, numbers shifted to the margin, margin enlarged or print partially missing were also on display.

"Coins are important documents of contemporary history," said A K M Zakariah, former education secretary and chief adviser of the NSB while inaugurating the seminar and exhibition.

Chaired by Mohammad Hossain Chowdhury, a retired government official and president of the society, the seminar was also addressed by Dr Syed Mahmudul Hasan, former director of the National Museum. Foiz Ahmed, general secretary of the NSB, and its publicity and research secretary Engineer Nurul Islam presented two papers on ancient and rare coins.

Among the rare coins of the sub-continent displayed in the show were Panchala copper coin of 600 BC, Punch mark silver coins of 500 BC and 400 BC, and coins of the Sultanates of Delhi and Bengal.

Holed coins of China from ancient days (117 AD) to the modern age and coins of Indian princely states as well as the most modern Euro coin found place in the exhibition.

Commemorative coins on culture, sports and important events were also exhibited. They included the first commemorative coin with the portraits of seven Birshresthas, minted in Germany and issued in 1991.

Three more coins commemorating 25 years of independence, silver jubilee of Bangladesh Bank and the Jamuna Bridge were issued in 1997-98. The items included country's first commemorative gold coin on the International Mother Language Day.