In October 2023, a unique exhibition dedicated to the art, history, and culture of 25 great Central Asian dynasties opened in Moscow. The Great East collection is hosted by the International Numismatic Club Museum, which was established by Vagit Alekperov – a famous Russian billionaire and the founder and former president of Russia’s oil giant, Lukoil. Forbes estimates his fortune at almost $24 billion, placing the businessman among the world’s top 100 and Russia’s top 10 richest people.
As Mr. Alekperov announced at the inauguration ceremony, the exhibition features rarities from both private and public collections. Great East visitors can admire about 300 unique artifacts of Central Asian culture and art.
Among the exhibits is the world’s largest collection of Tamerlane and Genghis Khan era gold coins, as well as gold coins and objects dating back to the times of Alexander the Great, the Kushan, the Sassanid, and the Persian empires, and goods that were transported along the Great Silk Road. The exhibition also includes works of art and ancient artifacts from the collections of the Hermitage and several other major Russian museums. The museum’s founder Vagit Alekperov also owns a numismatic collection of several hundred coins, which began as a childhood hobby.
