Dubai, Jun 8 (IANS): An 85-year-old Indian expatriate in Dubai has collected over 2,000 foreign coins and banknotes, a hobby he started when he was just 12-years-old, the media reported.

Parshotam Mukhi has gone on to collect coins from European nations dating back to the early 1800s, as well as Indian currency issued by the colonial British Raj from as early as the 1860s, Gulf News reported on Friday.

Mukhi, who moved from Indore, India, to Dubai in 1978, now has currency from around 55 countries.

As well as banknotes from Bahrain from the 1960s and the complete denominations of Indian currency used in the early 1900s, he also has some of the first currency issued by the UAE and Pakistan.

The collector, who founded perfume and textile shops in Dubai, said he has no plans of stopping and continues to search for special issues.

When asked if he would consider selling his collection, Mukhi told Gulf News: "I'm a buyer, not a seller. My collection is not for sale."

Mukhi did not say how much he has spent on collecting the coins and notes or how much his entire collection is worth.

"Whatever I find that I like, I go to great lengths to collect it. Whatever country I visit, I try to find special currency. I go to the banks, foreign exchanges and other collectors. I'm fond of collecting notes that have the number 786 in the series (a number of special significance locally to some Muslims) and collecting the whole series in a special issue or edition," he added.