3.45 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Want a golden piece of Sachin Tendulkar, East India Co brings you one

Published
By Staff

Britain's premium luxury goods brand East India Company has issued a legal tender gold coin worth Dh75,000 (£12,000) to celebrate the 200th and final Test Game of The World's

Greatest Batsman, Sachin Tendulkar


The exclusive 24-carat 200g coin (only 210 coins will be issued) has been issued in honour of Tendulkar's remarkable career spanning 24 years.
This is no ordinary coin, the firm said in its media statement. "Valued at £12,000 each, it has been double-struck in 24 carat gold (9.999 Au) and carefully finished to the highest polishing-standard known in 'legal-coin' minting.



"Only 210 gold coins, each weighing precisely 200g, are being issued to pay tribute to Tendulkar at a global level. Only very few will ever see this coin in the flesh, making them exceptionally rare and precious amongst thousands of fans who yearn to own a piece of the superstar's legacy," the statement added.



The issue of a 'legal tender' coin is an official mark of distinction and exceptional honour given only to individuals who have accomplished great achievements in human history.
Tendulkar said he felt honoured by the recognition. "All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I am very fortunate to have lived this dream for the last 24 years. I am honoured to be recognised with the issue of these special coins, which have been impressively designed with a lot of thought."

Tendulkar joins the ranks of sporting icons such as Mohammed Ali and Nigel Mansell, who are amongst the few who have been honoured with the issue of a legal tender coin.
The coin design has been handcrafted in great detail by one of the world's most renowned coin designers, Joaquin Jimenez, currently the Chief Engraver at Monnaie de Paris.

The canvas of the coin shows the latitude lines of the globe modelled in cricket stitching to represent the international stage of cricket, which Sachin Tendulkar has undeniably taken to another level.



The Gateway of India features to denote Sachin's beloved home town Mumbai where he began and concluded his career. The star himself and his 200th Test Match milestone are symbolically represented by Sachin's autographed bat, helmet and the number 187 which he wore during his 200th and final Test Match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in November 2013, where he announced his retirement while cheered by thousands of his devoted supporters during an emotional farewell.

In addition to the 200g gold coin, a second coin design has been released for the wider audience to own a timeless piece of memorabilia of 'The World's Greatest Batsman'.

The design is artfully crafted and shows a square cut silhouette of the star batting on the world stage of cricket. This second coin design has been issued in 1oz and 1/4oz gold and 1/2oz silver. Both, gold and silver, are part of a strictly 'Limited Edition' and are certified with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

Tendulkar, who turned 41 last month and is currently commemorating his year of retirement, has a huge fan base across the globe and is widely acknowledged as the greatest living batsman. He was the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries, holds the record for more Test runs than any other player in history (15,837) and more One-Day International (ODI) runs than anyone else (18,426).

"Historically precious metal formed an important part of the company's trading activities," said Sanjiv Mehta, CEO of the East India Company. "We have been issuing our own gold and silver coins for centuries and began to do so again in 2010. EIC originally introduced cricket to the Commonwealth, then the British Empire, and it made immense sense for us to issue a coin for this special occasion. We feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the greatest cricket players of all time."