A unique auction took place in London. In this, the price of Indian note of 100 rupees was Rs 56,49,650. This note was issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the 1950s, whose serial number was HA 078400. This was no ordinary note. It was part of a special series known as ‘Hajj Note’. In the mid-20th century, the RBI issued these notes especially for Indian pilgrims traveling to Gulf countries for Haj pilgrimage. It was issued to prevent illegal purchase of gold.
These notes had a prefix ‘HA’ before the number, so that they could be easily identified. These notes were different in colour from the standard Indian currency notes. However, they were valid in some Gulf countries where the Indian rupee was accepted. Such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, but they were not legal within India.
These notes are rare
Kuwait introduced its own currency in 1961, followed by other Gulf countries. Earlier, Indian currency was used in Kuwait. As a result, the issuance of Haj notes was stopped in the 1970s. Today, these notes are considered rare and have great value among currency collectors, depending on factors such as their value position and rarity.
Rs 10 notes sold for over Rs 12 lakh
In another auction in London, two old Rs 10 notes, one worth Rs 6.90 lakh and the other worth Rs 5.80 lakh, fetched an extraordinary price. These notes are not ordinary currency, but are associated with the historical era, due to which they are quite popular. These notes, issued on May 25, 1918, have great historical significance, as they belong to the last years of the First World War. Their attractions include their connection with the British ship SS Shirala. On July 2, 1918, the SS Shirala was blown up by a German U-boat with a torpedo, due to which it sank. Its connections to the shipwreck and history make these notes extraordinarily important.
