Fine Arts Gallery of Uzbekistan NBU

In this regard, it is important to note that achievements of the National Bank surely include the creation of the country's first banking collection of ancient coins. It is very importantthat hundreds of magnificent monetary monuments, which are truly the national heritage of Uzbekistan,could be protected from neglect and loss forthe years of collection.

During this time, a valuable collection of ancient coins was made. It can compete with the famous global numismatic collections, if not in quantity, then in quality. This collection is particularly significant since its major part includes regional minted coins previously almost not known to global historical science. Here, it is enough to name coins of Sogd, Khorezm, Chach, Ustrushan, coins of the Central Asian governors of the Omeyyads and Abasids, local Muslim dynasties.

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Every step of this huge historical period is marked with a surprisingly diverse money supply palette. Moreover, in addition to local minting, of course prevailing, there is a circulation of so-called imported coin. For Central Asia and Uzbekistan, in particular, in antiquity, these are coins of Alexander the Great and China. The collection includes Alexander drachma and a Chinese copper coin issued two thousand years ago. However, much more interest should involve the coins of states, which included the area of modern Uzbekistan. For the early period, these are coins of the Seleucids and Greco-Bactrian kings, Parthian and Kushan Empire's coins.

The magnificent drachma and copper denominations with very picturesque portraits of the ancient Khorezm kings worth special attention. These coins, known as very few in amount, are the pride of the largest global numismatic collections. As for medieval coins, the so-called Bukhara Sogd and Chach coins are especially distinguished. They provide valuable information about the period, which was hardly covered by written sources.

It is difficult to overestimate the coins of the Central Asian governors i.e. the Omeyyads, the Abbasids and the Samanids, which are very rare. There are many researches considering their historical significance, as the only source of information about local rulers.

Mostly, Emirate of Bukhara was represented by gold coins. Excellently preserved tilly minted not so long ago, by historical standards, sometimes hide a mystery - they have two different mint dates, their appear rhymed, sometimes the gold coins of this state turn out to be connected in series by special signs, which still were not decoded by the science.

Subject of exposition: Numismatics art in Central Asia as an important part of historical and cultural heritage

Uzbekistan is one of the few regions all over the world, where the high civilization provided early exchange relationships. Already in the IV-III centuries BC, there is a circulation of Seleucid and Greco-Bactrian coins, and since the beginning of the III century BC, the first coins issued in Sogdiana by local rulers are minted. Therefore, the history of monetary business in Uzbekistan has more than 2,300 years. Its establishment involved Bactrian and Sogdian coins and its current state is imprinted in paper signs and coins of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Throughout this long period, the historical and cultural regions, ancient and medieval cities of Uzbekistan minted metal and various emissions of copper, silver and gold coins of various denominations.

These coins tell us not only about the development of monetary relations from period to period, but also make us understand the unknown chapters of our history and forgotten dynasties, the outstanding skill of portrait masters and calligraphers, who imprinted elegant letters on coins. They tell us about scripts existing long before the Common Era in various regions of Uzbekistan - Bactria, Sogdiana, Khorezm, which were used for inscriptions on coins. The numismatic exposition of the Fine Arts Gallery of Uzbekistan contains samples of coins of Central Asia from IV century BC to the beginning of the 20th century, including various historical periods: antiquity, early Middle Ages, the Temurids Era, late Middle Ages, XIX-early XX centuries.