Every banknote is a postcard. I go and find the place.

03 · About the project

It started with a crumpled 20 rupee note.

Growing up in Pakistan, I saw pictures of different places on the rupee notes I used every day, but one always stood out: the 4,500 year old ruins of Mohenjodaro on the back of the 20 rupee note. I had read about them in history textbooks but never seen them in person. When I finally visited in 2015, I asked the tour guide to take me to the exact spot the picture on the note was taken from. I had a slightly crumpled note in my wallet, held it up against the ruins, and The Currency Project began.

After sharing that first photo, I made it a mission to go all over Pakistan and then the rest of the world, photographing notes and coins with the places printed on them. It combines everything I love: travelling, photography, collecting and history.

Longest trek

Two weeks on the Baltoro Glacier to reach K2, for the 50 rupee note.

Longest drive

More than 30 hours on the road to Lunenburg Harbour, for the old $100 note.

Shortest visit

Airport layovers in Doha, Dubai, Muscat and Cairo turned into shoots between flights.

Read the stories behind the shots