The largest private collection of coins and banknotes in Bolivia shows the evolution of money.

The history of money , from the earliest forms of value to virtual assets like Bitcoin, as well as the evolution of Bolivian currency , is part of the Borda-Luna family collection on display in Cochabamba to commemorate the country's bicentennial.

@redigital_ #Bolivia 📚✨ Today we present the story of Víctor Borda Illanes, a passionate collector who, through his own efforts, has dedicated his life to rescuing Bolivia's cultural memory through coins and banknotes. 💵🇧🇴 From Oruro to Cliza, Víctor was not only an educator and civic leader, he also created the Borda-Luna Collection, with more than 40 exhibitions held throughout the country. Without institutional support, but with enormous commitment, he managed to ensure that each numismatic piece tells a part of our history. 🔥 👉 His work is not just a hobby, it is an invaluable contribution to Bolivia's cultural and historical heritage, an invitation to reflect on the symbols that unite us as a nation. 📍 The exhibition "Numismatic Jewels Shining in the Bicentennial" is open to the public until August 21 at the Departmental House of Cultures, Cochabamba. ✨ Join us on this journey and discover how one person's passion can preserve the history of an entire country. #Numismatics #Redigital #Culture #Bicentennial ♬ original sound - Erik Morocho

Victor Borda , 74, has maintained his interest in numismatics since childhood. and together with his wife Sara Luna, he has managed to put together a systematized collection of almost 3,000 coins and banknotes from different eras and from the five continents.

" I started collecting these pieces when I was 10 or 11 years old . It all started as a form of healthy entertainment. Years went by and here I am," said Borda.

However, the peak of his hobby came between 2004 and 2009, when he lived in the United States and gained access to pieces that made him dream of achieving the Guinness World Record in that field, something that was cut short by his forced return to Bolivia.

Once in his native Cochabamba, he decided to systematize his collection to organize exhibitions for his own people without charging a cent , with the idea of ​​bringing the world closer to people who probably would never have the opportunity to leave the country in their lives.

The collection goes beyond a simple exhibition of pieces, as Borda has worked over the decades to understand the precise origin of each one , its history, and to produce handwritten, typed, or computer-generated reviews so that its public is as well-informed as possible.

The collection begins with the origins of humanity , the nomadic populations of over 8,000 years ago and the first valuable items, followed by the evolution of stones, salt as an item of exchange, and the kisi penny, an ancient iron coin native to West Africa.

"Even coca leaves were used as primitive money; a handful was a day's wage in the Inca era," he said.

The exhibition gives special space to women on banknotes, such as the Argentine Eva Perón , the Colombian anthropologist Virginia Gutiérrez, the British writer Jane Austen, the Czech sister Aneska, and the Peruvian artist Chabuca Granda.

"We need to give women their space. The vast majority of banknotes and coins have been stamped or sealed with portraits of men ," she reflected.

Among the coins, those minted during the Spanish colonial era at the Casa de la Moneda in Potosí stand out . These coins are poorly minted, as well as telephone tokens, casino tokens, electronic games, and foosball, which are part of the numismatic collection.

Another relevant space is that of "inflationary banknotes" , among them several bolivianos from the so-called hyperinflation that affected the country in the 1980s and exceeded 4,000%, with images of the heroine Juana Azurduy (or Asurdui), Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz or the Bolivian hero Eduardo Abaroa.

However, the most striking ones belong to Zimbabwe or the former Yugoslavia, which have more than 10 zeros .

Borda also has in his collection military money from the Japanese army from the time of World War II , as well as money from the Philippine guerrillas that bears the name "heroic money" as they were part of the resistance in the affected territories.

"The paper is delicate and the printing ink is of poor quality," reads the note on the display case that corresponds to the aforementioned guerrilla's money.

Borda was also responsible for obtaining currency representations of virtual assets like Bitcoin , and his collection includes the latest commemorative banknote for Bolivia's bicentennial.

Other spaces show the evolution of the US dollar , counterfeit banknotes from different countries, and "polymeric" paper money , which contains synthetic materials that extend its life and highlight some of its characteristics.

Aside from instilling a passion for numismatics in his wife, Borda has also worked to ensure his legacy remains in good hands, as his children and grandchildren also share this passion.

" I'm a coin and banknote hunter, collector, and exhibitor . Recovering these pieces for my people to see is my passion," he concluded.