ABU DHABI // When he is not working as a security guard at the Rocco Forte Hotel, Said Roshan can often be seen walking around town with a backpack full of money.
That may sound suspicious but Mr Roshan's money is not for spending, nor for personal gain.
It is money that will go into a collection he has been compiling for the past 16 years.
He took up his hobby in 1995, when he was nine years old.
"I was buying a toffee from a cafe in India and the shopkeeper gave me back a dime," says Mr Roshan, 25. "I really liked the way it looked and from that point I started collecting."
Mr Roshan spent the first 14 years collecting banknotes and coins in his home country, India. He tries to expand his collection with every person he meets.
His collection grew significantly after he moved to the UAE in 2009 because of its diverse population.
Now he has 200 bills and coins from about 140 countries, including Nepal, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Mr Roshan keeps his bills carefully protected behind plastic sheets, taking special care of the older bills.
His most precious pieces include an Egyptian bill from 1898 and coins dating to the Raja Raja Chola dynasty in India more than 1,000 years ago.
But Mr Roshan's efforts have not always been well received. Nearly a month ago, one encounter almost landed him in jail.
"I was at the Sharjah Airport waiting at the gate for my flight and I saw people come my way," he says. "It was a family and they were speaking a strange and unfamiliar language."
Too shy to ask the adults in the group, Mr Roshan decided to approach one of the children.
"I asked him, 'Where are you from?' He replied that he was from Kazakhstan. So then I asked him, 'Do you have money?'"
The message was lost in translation. The child ran back to his parents and his family called for security.
"I then took out my album and showed them that I collect currencies," he says. "The family was very understanding and handed me a Kazakhstani bill."
Most experiences have been pleasant, with people intrigued by his fascination with currencies.
At his previous job as a guard at the Higher Colleges of Technology's central services building, Mr Roshan often talked to faculty and staff.
"We would always see him around the area and he would always play with our kids," says Aaron Sorensen, an English and maths teacher.
"One day he was showing the kids and my wife his collection and she found it very interesting."
The next day, Mr Sorensen's wife, Mineko Meakawa, brought two Japanese bills for Mr Roshan.
He also searches for missing pieces to his collection online and joins collector groups. In India he is a member of a group called Relabia, also known as the House of Collections.
But Mr Roshan says the people he meets through these channels are not so generous.
Another one of his most prized possessions is the limited-edition 1953 Mahatma Gandhi rupee. These rupees were designed differently from the ones used today, he says.
"They only came in sets of three: a 1 rupee bill, a 2 rupee bill and a 3 rupee bill," he says. "I had the 2 and 3 rupee bills, but I was missing the 1 rupee bill."
After a lengthy search, Mr Roshan tracked down the bill from a collector in India. But it came at a hefty price.
"I had to pay Dh1,400 from my own pocket for that bill," he says. "But it was well worth it."
That worth cannot be measured in dirhams, as Mr Roshan has not had his collection evaluated.
He continues his search for notes and coins, particularly older ones that reflect a country's heritage.
"You can tell so much about a country just by looking at its currency," Mr Roshan says. "One day, I hope to have the currency for every country."
mismail@thenational.ae
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
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UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
SPECS
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
