Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

How collecting coins and gems led to important historical and cultural discoveries

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By Thalib al Wuhaibi


The importance of hobbies has become more pronounced during the series of lockdowns caused by the ongoing fight against Covid19. Hobbies are a form of escape that according to therapists help individuals enhance people’s lives. Hobbies allow you to keep your mind busy and is a great way to de-stress. Having a productive hobby not only helps promote better health, it also helps lower the risk of high blood pleasure. Enjoying a few hours of your hobby a week can also reduce the risk of depression.


But how can you find the proper hobby for you?


For Jamal al Balushi, a hobby can be anything you decide to engage yourself with and something that you find worthy of your time.


“I love drawings and searching for old inscriptions. There is something about historical writings that pique my curiosity, he said.


Combining both drawings and old inscriptions eventually led him to find enjoyment in collecting old coins.


While he won’t necessarily call himself a numismatist — the term that applies to collectors and coin dealers as well as scholars using coins as source or studying coins, he said his interest may actually led him to become one as he decided to seriously pursue the interest.


He said, “collecting coins is one of the hobbies that introduces us to different cultures. When we have old coins in our hands, we always wonder about their origin and thus start the thirst for knowledge. Collecting these coins allow for knowledge to spread. We are able to know about the history of different countries and in relation to this, also allow us to learn other things like heritage, language and traditions.”


“When I look at coins, I pay attention to almost every detail. Not only are the inscriptions or drawings on them but their makeup and composition give away a lot of their historical importance,” he said.


Jamal started collecting coins in 1991. Back then, his interest was focused on the coins produced and can be found in Oman. This will eventually branch out until he became vested in collecting coins from other countries.


“I discovered a lot of things through this coin. For the Sultanate for example, it educated me which periods Oman has the most fortunes or which times were the most trying. In the same context, coins from other countries is a gateway of knowing the income sources of those countries, how wealthy they are, what kind of people or form of government they have and the way of life of the people,” he said.


“The oldest coin I have is from the Umayyad era. I also have coins from Muscat, Dubai and Qatar from 1966 to 1971,” he shared.


Just like other hobbies, Jamal said that collecting coins can also be an expensive affair depending on how far you are willing to go for your passion.


“The storage of the coins, currencies and gemstones are costly. I have to provide albums, containers and special envelopes to keep them on,” he said.


He added, “There are also some special steps on how to store these coins. For example, you have to hold coins by the edge so that the oils and acids of your skin do not come in contact with the faces of the coin. This also means that you have to wash your hands before working with your collection to minimize the possibility of damaging them. You also have to make sure you hold the coin over a soft cloth or pad.”


From collecting coins, Jamal has also ventured into collecting gemstones. He shared that he is quite drawn by their beauty and colours.


“I have gemstones such as hematite and amethyst. These are natural and beautiful gemstones. They are exported from several countries, including Afghanistan, Brazil, India and Malaysia,” he said.


“The finest gemstones to collect are quartz and pink quartz. Once you know more about gems, you’d also love moonstone and sunstone because of their beauty. I have a shiny volcanic stone called azurite. I have a stone that is as beautiful and mesmerizing as a peacock feather,” he said.


Jamal said that learning about them can occupy your mind and may demand some time. Just when you thought you have discovered everything you have to know about a gemstone, you will realise there is more.


“There is a stone called the sand rose from Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, and these stones are usually formed only in the shape of roses. I would like to acquire opal stone, which is a beautiful natural stones,” he said.


In summary, Jamal said that trying to be productive during one’s downtime is easy. He shared that whatever interest you, you should pursue it.


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