000 01690nam a22001337a 4500
999 _c27564
_d27564
020 _a9788195380534
082 _a332.42
_bSHA-C
100 _aShaikh, Bazil
245 _aThe Conjuror's Trick:
_ban interpretive history of paper money in India
_c/Bazil Shaikh
260 _aMumbai:
_bMarg Publications,
_c2020
300 _a247p.
520 _aIn the 17th century, when banks were set up to issue notes, they conjured money out of thin air, introducing the unique alchemy in money’s transition from the concrete to the abstract. While paper money remains an essential part of daily life, its worth is tied not to its intrinsic value but rather to a shared system of belief, trust and knowledge. Taking off from this fundamental factor that has shaped money and everyday transactions, this book explores the socio-cultural history of paper money in India, tracing its journey from the 1770s to the present. Bringing together aspects of finance, history, public policy, philosophy and art, this study looks at the changing roles, systems and iconography of currency as it responded to the demands of civic life, governance and modernity. Even as the book engages with the past, its eye is on contemporary debates and innovations that seek to radically impact the way in which we will deal with money in the future. Bazil Shaikh, author and former central banker, has worked in areas spanning trade, exchange rate management, rural development and governance, amongst others. He headed the team which conceived, researched and curated the RBI Monetary Museum, Mumbai. His major publications include “The Paper and the Promise” and “Mint Road Milestones: RBI at 75”.
942 _2ddc
_cBK