Chokhany with the 1-kg silver medallion issued for the Beijing Olympics. Picture by Bishwarup Dutta

Name: Shrigopal Chokhany

Claim to fame: A collection of around 300 silver coins issued during each Olympic edition from 1952, except the 2004 Athens Games. The coins are engraved with official mascots, sporting events or landmarks of the host country. The coins of the 2000 Sydney Olympics depict the Sydney Opera House and a map of Australia. Among the non-host countries whose coins Chokhany has collected are Nepal and Bangladesh. He rues the fact that India never issued any coin for the Olympics.

Beijing 2008: The 58-year-old businessman has already collected five medallions issued by China for the Beijing Olympics. “The 2008 collection has a 1 kg silver medallion. A 1 kg coin was issued for the Olympics only once earlier, but I don’t have that,” he added. “I have also placed an order for 12 coins issued by China and deposited Rs 80,000. But I have to buy them from another country as China is not selling them directly to India,” he said.

Collector’s choice: His favourite is the 1-kg medallion issued for the Beijing Games. “Usually the mascot or any one sport is engraved. But this medallion has the official mascots, Fuwa, on one side and eight sports on the other.”

Early start: “I started collecting picture postcards when I was five years old. I started my Olympic collection in 1972 with a coin issued for the 1952 Helsinki Games.

Future: “If my kids take an interest, I’ll give it to them. Otherwise, I wish to donate it to the President,” he said.