A three-day collectable exhibition titled "Dhaka Numis Show 2025", organised by Old Dhaka Collectors Society (ODCS) was held at the National Museum from April 18 to 20. The event brought together collectors, currency researchers, and enthusiasts from all over Bangladesh.

Participants displayed rare collections of coins, banknotes, tokens, cheques, prize bonds, and more turning the exhibition gallery into a visual archive of monetary history. With around 100 framed displays, visitors could explore the evolution of money from ancient Koris and Mughal coins to British Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi currencies.

The exhibition also featured 14 booths where visitors could buy, sell, or trade items including banknotes, coins, stamps, and first day cover. Both experienced collectors and newcomers had the chance to explore the wide variety of items.

ODCS was formed on 26 March, 2022 and this was their biggest event to date.

Faizur Rahman, the exhibition coordinator, said, "This may be an Old Dhaka-based initiative in name, but our members come from all over the country. Our core team includes students, professionals, and collectors from different walks of life."

What made this exhibition special is its focus on themed collections. Instead of simply showcasing large volumes of collectables, each exhibitor was encouraged to focus on a specific topic they are passionate about or an expert in.

Shamsul Alam, chairperson of ODCS, said, "Collecting is a vast field. The exhibitors you see here each own thousands of items, but what we did for this event was ask each of them to showcase a unique topic -- something they specialise in."

Alam added, "My area of expertise is bird-themed collectables. I have a collection of over 1,250 banknotes and 20,000 stamps, all featuring birds. So, I created a dedicated showcase on that subject."

Each exhibitor presented a unique theme, making the exhibition rich in variety. Md Afiz Uddin came from Rangpur to showcase a unique theme: portraits on banknotes where the featured person is wearing glasses!

Md Robiul Islam presented his collection of "Error notes" -- banknotes that were misprinted or flawed during production.

"Around 15 years ago, I wanted to collect something unique, and that's when I started focusing on error notes," he said.

When asked why such events are necessary, Shamsul Alam explained, "Exhibitions like this help preserve history. As you can see, we have Bangladeshi items alongside British Indian coins and Mughal-era coins. That's how you learn history -- by seeing it, touching it. You become a part of history."

Shahriar Ahmed Tusher, additional Director at Bangladesh Bank, visited the event to buy stamps for his daughter, an eighth grader and a passionate stamp collector.

"I couldn't bring her along because of her exams, but I know I would have had to bring her along if the exams weren't ongoing," he said.

Ahsan Al Amin, a stamp seller, said, "Collectors are gradually increasing. While the growth is not huge, we now see buyers from all backgrounds, including those from elite circles."