The Coins in My Life.⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠

Commonwealth Youth Games Pune 2008

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III Commonwealth Youth Games Pune 2008

The 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games were held in Pune, India. They were the third Commonwealth Youth Games, which are held every four years, they were the first Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Asia.

The III Commonwealth Youth Games were conducted from 12th to 18 October 2008. Over 1,300 athletes and 350 officials from 71 countries participated in these games.

The III Commonwealth Youth Games is unique for its green theme, which permeates all aspects of the Games. A special drive is being conducted by the game organisers to create a "save the tigers" campaign to promote awareness of the critical state of the Indian tiger.

Sports

There were nine sports on the programme for the 2008 CYG.

Each sport has a unique pictogram to represent it. The pictograms are designed to be, like the 2008 CYG logo, a balance between the cultural heritage of India and the modern India. The pictograms have been derived from the tribal art form of Warli.

Athletics
Badminton
Boxing
Shooting
Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Weightlifting
Wrestling

Mascot

The name of the official mascot of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games is "Jigrr". The mascot is a tiger, the national animal of India. Jigrr is the younger brother of 'Shera', the mascot of 2010 Commonwealth Games. Jigrr the name, is an amalgam of the word "Jigar", which implies courage in Hindi language and also the sound of tiger roar 'grrr...'

The “Chalo Jigrr ke Saath – Get Set, Go” event was held on 11th October 2007 at the College of Engineering Grounds, Shivajinagar, Pune at 5.30 pm and was launched by the Chief Guest Mr. Michael Fennell, President, Commonwealth Games Federation in the presence of Mrs. Rajlaxmi Bhosale, Hon’ble, Mayor of Pune, Mr Harshavardhan Patil, Minister for Marketing, Govt. of Maharashtra, Sports icons who have done the country proud namely, Mr. Samaresh Jung, Ms. Anjali Bhagwat, Mr. Dhanraj Pillay and Ms. Tejaswini Savant to name a few.

The event was kick started by the flag off, of the 2-wheeler rally of approximately 5000 youth of the city. It started from 10 different spots in the city and converged at the College of Engineering grounds just before the event.

Indian Currency Design

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Rupee

India was one of the earliest issuers of coins (circa 6th century BCE). The origin of the word "rupee" is found in the word rūp or rūpā, which means "silver" in many Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi. The Sanskrit word rupyakam (Devanagari: रूप्यकम्) means coin of silver.

The derivative word Rūpaya was used to denote the coin introduced by Sher Shah Suri during his reign from 1540 to 1545 CE, based on a ratio of 40 copper pieces (paisa) per rupee.

The original Rūpaya was a silver coin weighing 175 grains troy (about 11.34 grams). He also introduced copper coins called Dam and gold coins called Mohur that weighed 169 grains. Among the earliest issues of paper rupees were those by the Bank of Hindostan (1770–1832), the General Bank of Bengal and Bihar (1773–75, established by Warren Hastings), the Bengal Bank (1784–91), amongst others. Until 1815, the Madras Presidency also issued a currency based on the panam, with 12 panams equal to the rupee. Formerly the rupee was divided into 16 annas, 64 paise, or 192 pies. In 15 August 1950 A corn sheaf replaced the Tiger on the one Rupee coin.

Indian Rupee sign

The Rupee (abbreviated as Re.(Singular), Rs. (Plural) and now as for Indian rupee symbol). The Indian rupee (Devanagari: रुपया) (sign: ; code: INR) is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India.

The new symbol of the Indian rupee, a mix of the Devanagri ‘Ra’ and Roman ‘R’, was designed by IIT Bombay ,post-graduate D.Uday Kumar. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on July 15, 2010. The parallel lines at the top (with white space between them) are said to make an allusion to the tricolor Indian flag and also depict an equality sign which symbolizes the nation's desire to reduce economic disparity. Ubuntu 10.10 was the first operating system to include this version of Unicode.

Indian Notes

After Independence of India, the government brought out the new design Re. 1 note in 1949. Initially it was felt that the King's portrait be replaced by a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Finally however, the Lion Capital of Asoka was chosen. In 1953, Hindi was displayed prominently on the new notes.

The "Mahatma Gandhi Series" was introduced in 1996. Prominent new features included a changed watermark, windowed security thread, latent image and intaglio features for the visually handicapped.

Lion capital of Ashoka

Emperor Ashoka the Great erected the capital atop an Ashoka Pillar to mark the spot where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma and where the Buddhist Sangha was founded.

The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Asiatic lions (Indian lions)" standing back to back. It was originally placed atop the Aśoka pillar at Sarnath by Emperor Ashoka circa 250 BC. The pillar, sometimes called the Aśoka Column is still in its original location, but the Lion Capital is now in the Sarnath Museum.

This Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath has been adopted as the National Emblem of India and the wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base was placed onto the center of the National Flag of India.

The capital contains four lions (Indian / Asiatic Lions), standing back to back, mounted on an abacus, with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion, separated by intervening spoked chariot-wheels over a bell-shaped lotus.

Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital was believed to be crowned by a 'Wheel of Dharma' (Dharmachakra popularly known in India as the "Ashoka Chakra"), which has now been lost. There is a similar intact Ashoka pillar in Thailand with a similar four lion capital intact and crowned with Ashoka Chakra / Dharmachakra.

The four lions (one hidden from view) - symbolising power, courage, pride and confidence - rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.

Forming an integral part of the emblem is the motto inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script: Satyameva Jayate सत्यमेव जयते (English:Truth Alone Triumphs). This is a quote from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas.

It was adopted as the National Emblem of India on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic.

The emblem forms a part of the official letterhead of the Government of India, and appears on all Indian currency as well. It also sometimes functions as the national emblem of India in many places and appears prominently on the diplomatic and national Passport of the Republic of India. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the center of the National Flag of India

Rupee Used in other country

The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan.

The Indian rupee was the official currency of Dubai and Qatar until 1959, when India created a new Gulf rupee (also known as the "External rupee") to hinder the smuggling of gold. The Gulf rupee was legal tender until 1966, when India significantly devalued the Indian rupee and a new Qatar-Dubai Riyal was established to provide economic stability.

The Gulf rupee, also known as the Persian Gulf rupee (ISO 4217 code: XPGR), was a currency used in the countries of the East Africa , Persian Gulf (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the Trucial States (UAE),oman and in parts of Muscat) and the Arabian Peninsula between 1959 and 1966. It was issued by the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India Amendment Act, 1 May 1959. and was equivalent to the Indian rupee.

Appearance and Making Process

Edges of Coins.
There are four types of edges of coins.
(a) Reeded Edge (Milled Edge, with cross serrations on Rim).
(b) Plain edge (No mark on Rim).
(c) Security Edge (with a deep Indentation on the Rim as if in Two
parts).
(d) Oblique Edge (with serration at an Angle of 30°-45° to the Rim).

During the period 1835-2002, coins with first three types of edges have been issued.

Technique Of Minting Coins.

There are four methods of Minting Coins

(i) Punch Marked

(ii) Casting

(iii)Repousse

(iv) Die-Struck (Milled)

Since nineteenth century, the die-struck milled method is being followed in every country.

Machine minted coins have better finish, the labour cost is much reduced and output is manifold. In 1790, the above machines were brought from England, and manufacturing of Milled Coins started at Calcutta.

Composition of metals used in minting Indian coins

(i) Gold (1835-1918) 91.7% or 22 Carat.

(ii) Standard Silver (1835-1939) 91.7%SiLver+8.3% Copper.

(iii) Silver Alloy (1939-1945) 50%Silver+ 40%Copper+ 5%Nickel+ 5%Zinc.

(iv) Silver Alloy (1969-71) 80%Silver+ 15%Copper+ 5%Nickel.

(v) Silver Alloy (1972-2002) 50%Silver+40% Copper+ 5%Nickel+5%Zinc.

(vi) Copper (1835-1906) Pure Copper.

(vii) Bronze (1906-64) 95-97% Copper+ 4%-21/2%Tin+1.00%;0.50%Zinc.

(viii) Copper-Nickel (1906-2002) 75%Copper+ 25%Nickel.

(ix) Nickel Brass (1964-71) 79%Copper+ 20%Zinc+ 1%Nickel.

(x) Nickel (1946-1974) Pure Nickel.

(xi) Aluminum (1965-93) 96%Aluminium+4% Magnesium.

(xii) Aluminum Bronze (1969-71) 92% Copper+ 2%Nickel+6%Aluminium.

(xiii) Stainless Steel (1988-2002) Ferritic Stainless Steel (Iron 83%,Chromium17%)

Large Denomination

100,000 = 1 Lakh, 100 Lakh = 1 Crore/karor, 100 Crore/karor = 1 Arab ,

100 Arab = 1 Kharab/khrab, 100 Kharab/khrab = 1 Neel, 100 Neel = 1 Padam,

100 Padam = 1 Rajam, 100 Rajam = 1 Uroos, 100 Uroos= 1 Zahra and Ammar

Language Panel in Indian Currencies

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All Indian currencies have a common feature called Language Panel.

From 1938 to 1943

In 1938 First note issued by Reserve Bank of India comes with 8 Languages in it.

This was followed by Rs 10 in February, Rs 100 in March and Rs 1,000 and Rs 10,000

In August 1940 , one rupee notes comes with 7 Languages in it.

Two Rupees Currency notes also introduced with 8 Languages in it.

From 1943 to 1949

In 1943 Indian Rupee notes comes with 7 languages in it and sign by C D Deshmukh.

From 1949 to 1957

In the year 1949 to 1957 Indian Rupee notes comes with 8 Languages in it.

This is Followed by Rs 1 , Rs 2 and Rs 5.

From 1957 to 1962

In the year 1957 to 1962 indian rupee Notes comes again with 7 Languages in it except Rs 5 . This is followed by Rs 2 , Rs 10 and Rs 100. And in the same time period new Rs 100 was introduced with 13 Languages in it.

From 1962 to 1997

In the year 1962 to 1997 Indian rupee notes comes with 13 Languages in it.

This is followed by Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 100.

From 1996 to till now

In 1996 "Mahatma Gandhi Series" was introduced with 15 Languages in it.

The present day currencies comes with 15 Indian languages apart from Hindi in it. This is followed by Rs 5, Rs 10 , Rs 20 , Rs 50 , Rs 100 , Rs 500 and Rs 1000.

It is printed in alphabetical order of languages.

Paper Money

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Early Issues

Paper Money, as we know it today, was introduced in India in the late Eighteenth Century. This was a period of intense political turmoil and uncertainty in the wake of the collapse of the Mughal Empire and the advent of the colonial powers. The changed power structure, the upheavals, wars, and colonial inroads led to the eclipse of indigenous bankers, as large finance in India moved from their hands to Agency Houses who enjoyed state patronage. Many agency houses established banks.

Among the early issuers, the General Bank of Bengal and Bahar (1773-75) was a state sponsored institution set up in participation with local expertise. Its notes enjoyed government patronage. Though successful and profitable, the bank was officially wound up and was short lived. The Bank of Hindostan (1770-1832) was set up by the agency house of Alexander and Company was particularly successful. It survived three panic runs on it. The Bank of Hindostan finally went under when its parent firm M/s Alexander and Co. failed in the commercial crisis of 1832. Official patronage and the acceptance of notes in the payment of revenue was a very important factor in determining the circulation of bank notes. Wide use of bank notes, however, came with the note issues of the semi-government Presidency Banks, notably the Bank of Bengal which was established in 1806 as the Bank of Calcutta with a capital of 50 lakh sicca rupees. These banks were established by Government Charters and had an intimate relationship with the Government. The charter granted to these banks accorded them the privilege of issuing notes for circulation within their circles.

Notes issued by the Bank of Bengal can broadly be categorised in 3 broad series viz: the 'Unifaced' Series, the 'Commerce' Series and the 'Britannia' Series. The early notes of the Bank of Bengal were unifaced and were issued as one gold mohur (sixteen sicca rupees in Calcutta) and in denominations deemed convenient in the early 19^th Century, viz., Rs. 100, Rs. 250, Rs. 500, etc.

Unifaced Notes of the Bank of Bengal

The Bank of Bengal notes later introduced a vignette represented an allegorical female figure personifying 'Commerce' sitting by the quay. The notes were printed on both sides. On the obverse the name of the bank and the denominations were printed in three scripts, viz., Urdu, Bengali and Nagri. On the reverse of such notes was printed a cartouche with ornamentation carrying the name of the Bank. Around the mid nineteenth century, the motif 'Commerce' was replaced by 'Britannia'. The note had intricate patterns and multiple colours to deter forgeries.

Commerse Series Brittania Series

The second Presidency Bank was established in 1840 in Bombay, which had developed as major commercial centre. The Bank had a checkered history. The crisis resulting from the end of the speculative cotton boom led to the liquidation of Bank of Bombay in 1868. It was however reconstituted in the same year. Notes issued by the Bank of Bombay carried the vignettes of the Town Hall and others the statues of Mountstuart Elphinstone and John Malcolm.

Note issued by the Bank of Bombay

The Bank of Madras established in 1843 was the third Presidency Bank. It had the smallest issue of bank notes amongst Presidency Banks. The notes of the Bank of Madras bore the vignette of Sir Thomas Munroe, Governor of Madras (1817-1827).

The other private banks which issued bank notes were the Orient Bank Corporation established in Bombay as the Bank of Western India in 1842. Its notes featured the Bombay Town Hall as vignette. The Commercial Bank of India established in 1845 in Bombay (also an Exchange Bank) issued exotic notes with an interblend of Western and Eastern Motifs. The bank failed in the crash of 1866. The paper currency Act of 1861 divested these banks of the right to note issue; the Presidency Banks were, however, given the free use of Government balances and were initially given the right to manage the note issues of Government of India.

British India Issues

British India Issues commence with the Paper Currency Act of 1861 which gave the Government the monopoly of note issue in India. The management of paper currency across the geographical expanse of the Indian sub-continent was a task of considerable proportions. Initially the Presidency Banks were appointed as agents to promote the circulation of these notes in view of their existing infrastructure. The Act of 1861 authorised the Presidency Banks to enter into agreements with the Secretary of State for becoming agents for the issue, payment and exchange of promissory notes of the Government of India. The problem of redemption of these notes over vast expanses of the Indian sub-continent led to the concept of 'Currency Circles', where these notes were legal tender.

These Currency Circles increased in number as the Government progressively took over the work. The agency agreements with the Presidency Banks were finally terminated in 1867. The Management of Paper Currency was subsequently, in turn, entrusted to the Mint Masters, the Accountant Generals and the Controller of Currency.

Victoria Portrait Series

The first set of British India notes were the 'Victoria Portrait' Series issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000. These were unifaced, carried two language panels and were printed on hand-moulded paper manufactured at the Laverstock Paper Mills (Portals). The security features incorporated the watermark (GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, RUPEES, two signatures and wavy lines), the printed signature and the registration of the notes.

Rupees Ten

Rupees Twenty

Rupees Hundred

British India Notes facilitated inter-spatial transfer of funds. As a security precaution, notes were cut in half. One set was sent by post. On confirmation of receipt, the other half was despatched by post.

Half note

Underprint Series

The Victoria Portrait series was withdrawn in the wake of a spate of forgeries and replaced by the unifaced 'Underprint Series' which were introduced in 1867. In deference to public demand, notes in the denomination of Rupees Five were introduced. Initially, notes were legally encashable only in the Currency Circle in which they were issued; however, between 1903 an 1911, notes of denomination 5, 10, 50 and 100 500, 1000 and 10000 were 'universalised', i.e. were legally encashable outside the Currency Circle of Issue.

The Underprint Series notes were printed on moulded paper and carried 4 language panels (Green Series). The languages differed as per the currency circle of Issue. Language panels were increased to 8 in the Red Series. The improved security features included a wavy line watermark, the manufacturer's code in the watermark (the source of much confusion in dating), guilloche patterns and a coloured underprint.

This series remained largely unchanged till the introduction of the 'King's Portrait' series which commenced in 1923.

Green Underprint - Rupees Five Hundred

Green Underprint - Rupees Five

Red Underprint - Rupees Fifty

Small Denomination Notes

The introduction of small denomination notes in India was essentially in the realm of the exigent. Compulsions of the first World War led to the introduction of paper currency of small denominations. Rupee One was introduced on 30th November, 1917 followed by the exotic Rupees Two and Annas Eight. The issuance of these notes was discontinued on 1st January, 1926 on cost benefit considerations. These notes first carried the portrait of King George V and were the precursors of the 'King's Portrait' Series which were to follow.

Rupee One - Obverse

Rupee One -Reverse

Rupees Two and Annas Eight - Obverse

King's Portrait Series

Regular issues of this Series carrying the portrait of George V were introduced in May, 1923 on a Ten Rupee Note. The King's Portrait Motif continued as an integral feature of all Paper Money issues of British India. Government of India continued to issue currency notes till 1935 when the Reserve Bank of India took over the functions of the Controller of Currency. These notes were issued in denominations of Rs 1, 2½ , 5, 10, 50, 100, 1000, 10,000.

Rupees Fifty

Rupees One Thousand

Rupees Ten Thousand

With the establishment of the Currency Note Press at Nasik in 1928, currency notes came to be progressively printed in India. By 1932 the Nasik Press was printing the entire spectrum of India currency notes. The improved security features were changed watermarks, intricate portrait designs and multicoloured printing.

British India: Reserve Bank Issues

The Reserve Bank of India was formally inaugurated on Monday, April 1, 1935 with its Central Office at Calcutta and it was set up on the recommendations of the Hilton-Young Commission. The commission submitted its report in the year 1926, though the bank was not set up for another nine years.

The first Central Office of the Reserve Bank of India

It began operations by taking over from the Government the functions hitherto performed by the Controller of Currency and from the Imperial Bank the management of Government Accounts and Public Debt. The existing Currency Offices in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Rangoon, Karachi, Lahore and Cawnpore became the branches of the Issue Department of the Bank. (It was not then considered necessary to have an office in Delhi.).

Section 22 of the RBI Act, 1934, empowered it to continue issuing Government of India notes till its own notes were ready for issue. The Central Board of the Bank recommended that the Bank notes retain the general size, appearance and design of the existing notes, albeit with modifications.

Notes with the portrait of Edward VIII were scheduled for release in the summer of '37. But Edward's heart had its reasons and his abdication, at levels mundane, delayed the Bank's issues to January 1938 when the first Five Rupee note was issued bearing the portrait of George VI.

Rupees Five - First Note issued by Reserve Bank of India

This was followed by Rs 10 in February, Rs 100 in March and Rs 1,000 and Rs 10,000 in June 1938.

Rupees One Hundred

Rupees One Thousand

Rupees Ten Thousand

The first Governor, Sir Osborne Smith did not sign any bank notes; the first Reserve Bank issues were signed by the second Governor, Sir James Taylor.


Sir Osborne Smith	Sir James Taylor

In August 1940, the one-rupee note was reintroduced, once again as a war time measure, as a Government note with the status of a rupee coin, in terms of the Currency Ordinance of 1940 (IV of 1940). The issuance of Rs 2 and Annas 8 was contemplated but Rs 2 was introduced instead on 3rd March , 1943.

Rupee One Obverse

Rupee One Reverse

Rupees Two

During the war, Japanese Operations to destabilise Indian currency involved high quality forgeries, largely of Re 10 notes signed by Governor C.D. Deshmukh.

Sir C. D. Deshmukh

This necessitated a change in the watermark and obverse design from the profile portrait of George VI to his full frontal portrait. As an added security feature, the security thread was introduced for the first time in India.

George VI Profile

George VI Frontal

The George VI series continued till 1947 and thereafter as a frozen series till 1950 when post independence notes were issued.

Republic India Issues

Throughout history, the right to Coinage and Currency and issues of sovereignty have been curiously conjoined, emotionally if not rationally; these issues stimulate debate even today.

The transition of currency management from colonial to independent India was a reasonably smooth affair. Midnight, August 15, 1947 heralded Indian independence from colonial rule. The Republic, however, was established on 26th January, 1950. During the interregnum, the Reserve Bank continued to issue the extant notes.

Government of India brought out the new design Re 1 note in 1949.

Government of India - Rupee One

Symbols for independent India had to be chosen. At the outset it was felt that the King's portrait be replaced by a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Designs were prepared to that effect. In the final analysis, the consensus moved to the choice of the Lion Capital at Sarnath in lieu of the Gandhi Portrait. The new design of notes were largely along earlier lines.

Rupees Ten - King's Portrait

Rupees Ten - Ashoka Pillar

In 1953, Hindi was displayed prominently on the new notes. The debate regarding the Hindi plural of Rupaya was settled in favour of Rupiye. High denomination notes (Rs 1,000, Rs. 5,000, Rs. 10,000) were reintroduced in 1954.

Rupees One Thousand - Tanjore Temple

Rupees Five Thousand - Gateway of India

Rupees Ten Thousand - Lion Capital, Ashoka Pillar

The lean period of the early sixties led to considerations of economy and the sizes of notes were reduced in 1967. In 1969 a commemorative design series in honour of the birth centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi was issued depicting a seated Gandhi with the Sevagram Ashram as the backdrop.

Rupees One Hundred - Commemorative Design

Cost benefit considerations prompted the Bank to introduce Rs. 20 denomination notes in 1972 and Rs. 50 in 1975.

Rupees Twenty

Rupees Fifty

High denomination notes were once again demonetised in 1978 for the same reasons as the 1946 demonetisation. The 1980s saw a completely new set of notes issued. The motifs on these notes marked a departure form the earlier motifs. The emphasis lay on symbols of Science & Technology (Aryabhatta on the Rs 2 note), Progress (the Oil Rig on Re 1 and Farm Mechanisation on Rs 5) and a change in orientation to Indian Art forms on the Rs 20 and the Rs 10 notes. (Konark Wheel, Peacock).

Management of Currency had to cope with the rising demands of a growing economy, together with a fall in purchasing power. The Rupee 500 note was introduced in October 1987 with the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. The water mark continued to be the Lion Capital, Ashoka Pillar.

Rupees Five Hundred

Mahatma Gandhi Series

With the advancement of reprographic techniques, traditional security features were deemed inadequate. It was necessary to introduce new features and a new 'Mahatma Gandhi Series' was introduced in 1996. A changed watermark, windowed security thread, latent image and intaglio features for the visually handicapped are amongst the new features.

Rupees Ten : Size 137 x 63 mm

Rupees Fifty : Size 147 x 73 mm

Rupees One Hundred : Size 157 x 73 mm

Rupees Five Hundred : Size 167 x 73 mm

Rupees One Thousand : Size 177 x 73 mm

Others

By the end of the Nineteenth Century, India could broadly be divided into British India, the Princely States, the Portuguese Territories (Goa, Daman & Diu), and the French Territory of Pondicherry.
While many Princely States were issuing their own coinage, only two viz., Jammu & Kashmir and Hyderabad actually issued Paper Currency. Both the Portuguese and French Territories issued Paper Money. Burma, where the Reserve Bank had an office at Rangoon, was politically separated from India on April 1, 1937. The Indo-Burma Monetary Arrangements provided for the RBI to continue to manage the currency of Burma.
During the Second World War many petty Princely States issued emergency tokens which are alluded to as 'Cash Coupons' in lieu of coins. Emergency Money was also issued in Burma after the end of the Japanese occupation to facilitate exchange.
Traditionally Indian money had enjoyed wide circulation in the Persian Gulf Region. India had also issued notes for circulation in the Persian Gulf region as well as special notes for Haj Pilgrims

A Brief History of India's Republic Coinage

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India won its independence on the 15th of August, 1947. During the period of transition India retained the monetary system and the currency and coinage of the earlier period under British Sovereignty. While Pakistan introduced a new series of coins in 1948 and notes in 1949, India brought out its distinctive coins on August 15, 1950.
Republic of India Issues could broadly be categorized as:

The Frozen Series 1947-1950

This represented the currency arrangements during the transition period up to the establishment of the Indian Republic. The Monetary System remained unchanged at One Rupee consisting of 192 pies.
1 Rupee = 16 Annas
1 Anna = 4 Pice
1 Pice = 3 Pies

The Anna Series

This series was introduced on the 15th of August, 1950 and represented the first coinage of the Republic of India. The King of England's Portrait was replaced by the Lion Capital of the Ashoka Pillar. A corn sheaf replaced the Tiger on the one Rupee coin. In some ways this symbolized a shift in focus to progress and prosperity. Indian motifs were incorporated on other coins. The monetary system was largely retained unchanged with one Rupee consisting of 16 Annas.

The Decimal Series

The demand for decimalization existed for over a century. Sri Lanka decimalized its rupee in 1869. However, it was in September, 1955 that the Indian Coinage Act was amended for the country to adopt a metric system for coinage. The Act came into force with effective April 1, 1957. The rupee remained unchanged in value and nomenclature. The rupee, however, was now divided into 100 'Paisa' instead of 16 Annas or 64 Pice. For public recognition, the new decimal Paisa was termed 'Naya Paisa' on coins until June 1, 1964 when the term 'Naya' was dropped. Naya being a Hindi word meaning "New." The coins of that period also mentioned their value in terms of the rupee to avoid confusion and deception. For example, the one paisa coin carried the text "One hundredth of a Rupee" in Hindi.

Naya Paisa Series 1957-1964

With commodity prices rising in the sixties, small denomination coins which were made of bronze, nickel-brass, cupro-nickel, and Aluminum-Bronze were gradually minted in Aluminum. This change commenced with the introduction of the new hexagonal 3 paise coin. A twenty paise coin was introduced in 1968 but did not gain much popularity.

Aluminium Series 1964 to Current

In the 1970s the one, two and three paise coins were phased out; Stainless steel coinage of 10, 25 and 50 paise, was introduced in 1988 along with a one rupee coin in 1992. As costs of printing the banknote issues of Re 1, Rs 2, and Rs 5 led to the gradual conversion to coins of these denominations.

Contemporary Coins

Controversy over two-rupee cross coin

The two-rupee coin issued from 2006 by the Reserve Bank, in stark contrast to the earlier coin, is rounded and simpler in design, without the map of India. The coin has already been criticized for being difficult to recognize by the visually impaired. Most controversially, it features an equal-armed cross with the beams divided into two rays and with dots between adjacent beams, which the RBI claims to be "four heads sharing a common body" under a new "unity in diversity" theme. However there is no history in India of a cross of this nature or any other cross being used to represent this theme. Outraged Indian commentators, bloggers and Hindu nationalists have charged that the symbol is a Christian cross, pointing out its strong resemblance (equal-armed cross and dots) to the symbol on the deniers issued by Louis the Pious.

Commemorative Coins

Commemorative coins are coins that were issued to commemorate some particular event or issue. The first Indian commemorative coin was issued in 1964 to mourn the death of Jawaharlal Nehru. Such coins have a distinct design with reference to the occasion on which they were issued.
Commemorative Indian Coins are very interesting to discuss because they cover many topics like Indian Independence Struggle, War, Peace, Wildlife, Vegetation, Great Personalties, Various Events and Organisations. Denomination from 5 paise to 150 rupees.

Bimetallic coins

Indian rupees 10 bimetallic coins is the country first ever bimetallic coin ever released. The 10 Rupee coin was designed by National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad with the theme of Unity in Diversity. The coins are being prepared at Noida and Mumbai mints.

New sign of Rupee coin series

New series of coins is released with improved design and revised size in the denominations of 50 paise, Re.1, Rs.2, Rs.5, and Rs.10. The new coins are of user-friendly size and weight, with improved counterfeit resistance, and the security edging of these coins would be good for better recognition by visually challenged persons. The present series of coins of 50 paise, Rs.1, 2, and 5 contain a flowery design and for Rs.10, the number of petals have been brought down to 10 in place of the existing 15 petals. The parallel lines on the obverse side of the Rs.10 coin have been removed and the size of Ashok Pillar has been increased.

ESTABLISHMENT OF MINTS IN INDIA

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EAST INDIA COMPANY set up the following three mints in the 17th and 18th century:-

(a) MADRAS MINT in 1640 A.D.

(b) BOMBAY MINT in 1671 A.D.

These mints were again reset up as bigger one and with the latest technology, at Bombay & Calcutta in 1829 A.D. However Madras Mint was closed in1869.

(i) Before1947, i.e. pre-partition of India. There were four mints, namely at Bombay, Calcutta, Lahore and Madras.

(ii) After 1947, i.e. Post partition of India. There are four mints, namely Bombay, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Noida.

There are four mints in India each with a long & distinguished history that produce coins which serve our everyday needs, The two oldest are Alipore (Calcutta)and Bombay mints, both were Established in 1829 by the British Government, though the former was originally located in Calcutta and moved to its present site in 1952. The Hyderabad mint was established in 1903 by the Government of the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad and was taken over by the Government of India in 1950 & started minting since 1953. Noida mint was set up in 1986 and started minting ferritic stainless steel coins from 1988.

MINT MARKS ON COINS

Indian coins since 1835-2007 have the following Mint Marks which are found under the date (year of issue) of the coin. Indian coins bear the distinctive marks of these mints but some coins were minted abroad and imported in 1857-58, 1943, 1985, 1997-2002 and these bear the mint marks of their origin. These coins are imported with the approval of Reserve Bank of India.

Indian Mint Marks on Coins

(a) BOMBAY MINT (Mumbai)-The Bombay Mint has a small dot or diamond mint markunder Date of the Coin.

(b) CALCUTTA MINT (Kolkata)-The Calcutta Mint has No Mint Markbeneath the date of coin or an C incuseis seen at 6'o clock position in british india coins.

Also found as :

Split diamond below date

Dot in diamond

Star below date

(d) LAHORE MINT- The Lahore Mint has a letter "L"mint mark under the date of the coin.Production started on 5th October 1943 A.D.

(e) NOIDA MINT- The Noida Mint has a small or thick dotunder the date of the Coin. Production Started in 1988.

Foreign Mint Marks on Indian Coins

The government of India issued many coins minted by foreign mints during times of shortage of coins. Some coins were minted abroad and imported in 1857-58, 1943, 1985, 1997-2002 and these bear the mint marks of their origin. These coins are imported with the approval of Reserve Bank of India. All the coins minted in foreign mints are shown below:

(a) PRETORIA MINT (SOUTH AFRICA MINT Co. pvt ltd) - The Pretoria Mint has “M” under date in 1998 two rupee coin.

(b–1) SEOUL MINT (SOUTH KOREA) -The Seoul mint has a “Five Pointed Star"under the date of the coin but exactly below the first or Last Digits of dates 1985 and 1997.

(b -2 ) TAEGU MINT(KOREA)- The Taegu mint has a “Five Pointed Star“under the date of the coin but exactly below the first Digits of dates 1985

(c) ROYAL MINT LONDON(Birmingham ) The Mint has a small dot(Diamond) under the date of the coin but exactly below the First Digit of Date 1985

(d) HEATON PRESS MINT- This Mint has Ornamental/ Decorated Letter "H"under the last digit of the date 1985.

(e) ROYAL CANADIAN MINT, OTTAWA-This Ottawa Mint has a "C"mint mark under the date of the coin.

(f) MEXICO MINT (OESCHGER MASDACH & Co.)-The Mexico City Mint has an mint mark of “M” beneath “O” under the date of the coin.

(g) MOSCOW MIN , Russia – This mint has a mint mark of “MMD” in oval below the date of the coin.eg 2 rupee & 5 rupee(2000 A.D)

(h) SLOVAKIA KREMNCA MINT (SLOVAKIA REPUBLIC): Has mint mark of “MK in circle” below the date of the coin on rupee 1998-2000.

(i) TOWER MINT, UK ( DOMINICAN REPUBLIC): “U” Shape sign below date