India, March 30 -- When the euro was introduced in 1999, it unified the economies of Europe but erased the individual identities of many national currencies. Among them was the French Franc, a currency that had existed since 1360 and had become deeply woven into the fabric of French identity. Its banknotes told stories of history, art, and national pride. Now, for a brief period in Mumbai, history enthusiasts, art connoisseurs, and numismatists will have the rare opportunity to rediscover the lost elegance of French banknotes through the exhibition Beyond Face Value at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai.

This exhibition is a collaboration between NGMA and Alliance Francaise de Bombay. Curated by researcher and collector Ru...