Sanoj Coins

India attained her Independence on 15th August, 1947. But there was no immediate change in her coinage. In the years following the Independence, all the coins bearing the effigy of King George VI continued to be struck at the Indian mints with the frozen date ‘1947’.

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950 - 1955
Metal composition – Bronze (97% Copper + 2.5% Zinc + 0.5% Tin)
Weight – 60 grams (Thick coin, thickness – 1.6 mm, issued in 1950)

            - 45 grams (Thin coin, thickness – 1.2 mm, issued from 1951 to 1955)
Shape – Circular
Diameter – 0.84”

Edge  – unmilled plain
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev  – The center of this coin shows a replica of the horse, shown at the base of the Lion capital. The value of the coin in both English and Hindi, appears at the top of the periphery and the year of issue at the bottom.
Minted at – Mumbai(1950- 55), Kolkata(1950- 51,1953-54), Hyderabad(1953- 55)
Km Number – # 1


Note:
i) The issues of 1950, of this coin are found with both thick rim and thin hair line rim.
ii) The issues of 1950, of this coin, are all thick coins with thickness – 1.6 mm, weight – 60 grains.
iii) The issues of 1951 to 1955, of this coin, are all thin coins with thickness – 1.2 mm, weight – 45 grains.

Half Anna

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950, 1954 - 55
Metal composition – Copper – Nickel alloy (75% Copper + 25% Nickel)
Weight – 45 grains
Shape – Square with rounded corners
Diameter – 0.684” across sides, 0.778” across corners
Edge – unmilled plain
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev – The center of this coin shows a replica of the bull, shown at the base of the Lion capital. The value of the coin in both English and Hindi, appears at the top of the periphery and the year of issue at the bottom.
Minted at – Mumbai(1950, 1954 - 55), Kolkata(1950, 1954)
Km Number – # 2

One Anna

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950, 1954 - 55
Metal composition – Copper – Nickel alloy (75% Copper + 25% Nickel)
Weight – 60 grains
Shape – Scalloped (12 numbers)
Diameter – 0.7795” min, 0.827” max
Edge – unmilled plain
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev – The center of this coin shows a replica of the bull, shown at the base of the Lion capital. The value of the coin in both English and Hindi, appears at the top of the periphery and the year of issue at the bottom.
Minted at – Mumbai
Km Number – # 3

Two Annas

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950, 1954 - 55
Metal composition – Copper– Nickel alloy (75% Copper + 25% Nickel)
Weight – 90 grains
Shape – Square with rounded corners
Diameter – 0.88” across sides, 1.00” across corners
Edge – unmilled plain
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev – The center of this coin shows a replica of the bull, shown at the base of the Lion capital. The value of the coin in both English and Hindi, appears at the top of the periphery and the year of issue at the bottom.
Minted at – Mumbai
Km Number – # 4

Quarter Rupee

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950 – 51, 1954 - 56
Metal composition – Nickel (100%)
Weight – 45 grains
Shape – Circular
Diameter – 0.75”
Edge – Milled
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev – The center of this coin shows ¼, in international numerals between two ears of corn. The value of this coin in Hindi appears at the top of the periphery and the value in English and the year of issue appear under ¼ .
Minted at – Mumbai(1950 – 51, 1955), Kolkata(1950 - 51, 1955 - 56)
Km Number – # 5


Note:
i) The issues of 1954, of this coin, from Kolkata mint, are found with larger or smaller lion capital.

Half Rupee

a) With dots after “GOVERNMENT” and “OF”






Specifications

Years of issue – 1950 – 51, 1954 - 55
Metal composition – Nickel (100%)
Weight – 90 grains
Shape – Circular
Diameter – 0.95”
Edge – Milled
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT . OF . INDIA’ around periphery(With dots).
Rev – The center of this coin shows ½, in international numerals between two ears of corn. The value of this coin in Hindi appears at the top of the periphery and the value in English and the year of issue appear under ½.
Minted at – Mumbai(1950 – 51, 1954 - 55), Kolkata(1950, 1954)
Km Number – # 6.2




b) Dots after “GOVERNMENT” and “OF” removed






Specifications

Year of issue – 1956
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka redrawn, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OFINDIA’ around periphery (Dots removed).
Minted at –Kolkata
Km Number – # 6.3

One Rupee

Specifications

Years of issue – 1950, 1954
Metal composition – Nickel (100%)
Weight – 180 grains
Shape – Circular
Diameter – 1.1”
Edge – Security
Obv – Lion capital of Ashoka, with legend ‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ around periphery.
Rev – The center of this coin shows 1, in international numerals between two ears of corn. The value of this coin in Hindi appears at the top of the periphery and the value in English and the year of issue appear under 1.
Minted at – Mumbai
Km Number – # 7

     Prior to 1835 A.D., the East India Company issued coins in Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency and Madras Presidency. These coins were circulated in local area for use in the local trade.

For any particular value, the coins circulated in different areas of India were of different weight, fineness and size. In order to remove this chaotic condition, East India Company decided to introduce a uniform coinage in the territories of the company.

All the details of the new coinage were laid down by Act XVIII of 1835. As per this act the weight of the rupee coin was standardized at 180 grains troy (1 Tola) and its fineness at 11/12 (i.e. 165 grains of pure silver and 15 grains of alloy). The rupee coin would bear the effigy of the then king of United Kingdom.

Specifications

( Photo by - Mayank Agrawal, Varanasi)
Obv – Crowned head of King George V with the legend “GEORGE V KING EMPEROR”
Rev – Coin value in English and Persian with date surrounded with a floral design.
All other specifications are same as described above.


King George VI was coroneted in 1937. Rupee coins were issued bearing his effigy from 1938.


1937 - 1939, (King George VI)





Obv – Crowned head of King George VI with the legend “GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR”
Years of Issue – 1938, 1939
All other specifications are same as described above.

Quaternary Silver Rupee

1940 - 1945, (King George VI)

(


Metal composition - quaternary alloy ( 50% silver,40% copper, 5% Nickel and 5% Zinc)
Edge – Security
Years of issue – 1940 to 1945
All other specifications are same as described above.

Pure Nickel Rupee

Due to the rise of price of silver after the end of World war II, the Government decided to issue rupee and other Quaternary Silver coins, in pure Nickel.


1947, (King George VI)

Year of issue – 1947
Rev – Value in English, Hindi and Persian with a stalking tiger.
Metal composition – Pure Nickel
Diameter – 1.1”
All other specifications are same as described above.


1950 – 1956 ( Republic of India ) (Old Currency)

Years of issue – 1950, 1954
Obv – Lion Capital of Ashoka, with the legend “ GOVERNMENT OF INDIA “
Rev – A large 1 flanked by two ears of corn and value in English, and “Ek Rupaya” in Hindi.
All other specifications are same as described above.


1957- 1974 ( Republic of India ) (Decimal Currency)




Years of issue – 1962, 1970
Obv – Lion Capital of Ashoka, with “INDIA” in English and “Bharat” in Hindi
Rev – Same as above but value in Hindi changed to “Rupaya”.
Weight - 10 grams
Diameter – 28 mm
All other specifications are same as described above.

Cupro Nickel Rupee

With a view to conserve Nickel which was in short supply throughout the world, the Government decided to issue rupee coins in cupro nickel with less weight.


1975-1982 (Big size rupee)





Years of issue – 1975 to 1982
Metal composition – Cupro-Nickel (75% Cupper and 25% Nickel)
Weight - 8 grams
All other specifications are same as described above.


1983-1991 (Small size rupee)




Years of issue – 1983 to 1991
Weight - 6 grams
Diameter – 26 mm
Edge – Security from 1983 to 1989, Upright milled from 1990 t0 1991
All other specifications are same as described above.

Stainless Steel Rupee

Due to gradual rise in the price of cupper and Nickel, the intrinsic value of the cupro-nickel coins surpassed its face value. To check the large scale diversion of these coins from circulation for melting purposes by dishonest traders, the Government decided to gradually change cupro-nickel coins to steel coins. In this regard steel coins in the denomination of 10p, 25p and 50p were changed to steel from 1988. The rupee coin was issued in steel from 1992.


1992-2004 (Same design as 1983-1991 cupro nickel rupee)

Years of issue –1992 to 2004
Metal composition – Ferrite Stainless Steel (80.5% Iron, 18% Chromium)
Weight - 4.85 grams
Diameter – 25 mm
Edge – Upright milled from 1992 to 1995, Plain edge from 1995
All other specifications are same as described above.


2004 – 2006 (Theme - Unity in diversity) (cross)

Years of issue –2004 to 2006
Rev – A cross dividing 4 dots with value in English and Hindi
Obv – “Bharat” in Hindi, “India” in English at top, Lion capital and big 1 between 2 horizontal lines, Year of issue at bottom
Edge - Plain
All other specifications are same as described above.


2007 – 2011 (Theme - Bharat Natyam) (One finger)



Years of issue –2007 to 2011
Rev – A lady’s hand with pointing fore finger with a big 1 and “Rupaya” in Hindi,”Rupee” in English.
Obv – “Bharat” in Hindi, “India” in English at top, Lion capital between 2 horizontal lines, Year of issue at bottom
All other specifications are same as described above.




2011 (Theme – New Rupee Symbol)





Years of issue – 2011
Metal composition – Ferritic Stainless Steel (83% Iron, 17 % Chromium)
Weight – 3.75 gms
Shape – Circular
Diameter – 22 mm
Edge – 25 serrations on diagonally opposite sides

Obv – The face of the coin shows the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar with the legend "Satyameva Jayate" in Hindi, inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word "Bharat" in Hindi and on the right periphery with the word “INDIA" in English.

Rev – The face of the coin shows the denominational value “1” in the international numerals flanked on the left and right periphery with a floral design. The upper periphery bears the Rupee symbol and the year of minting in international numerals is shown on the lower periphery.

Minted at – Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Noida
Km Number –NA

The denominations of Rs.1000, Rs.5000 and Rs.10000 were demonetised by the Indian Government on 16th January 1978. The highest denomination of legal tender was the Rs.100 banknote for nearly ten years. There was a need for a higher denomination banknote.

On 2nd October 1987, the first Mahatma Gandhi note of Rs.500 was released . However, the design of Rs.500 in the Mahatma Gandhi new series was released in October 1997.

The new series of Mahatma Gandhi Banknotes of denominations Rs.10 and Rs.100 were released in 1996 and Rs.50 denomination notes were released in 1997. The Rs.1000 was released in the year 2000 and Rs.5 & Rs.20 in 2001. All these had additional security features, with a new identification feature to assist visually impaired persons in identifying the denominations.

Obverse

Reverse

Rs.50 - Mahatma Gandhi Series

A new series of Rs.50 banknotes of Mahatma Gandhi Series was issued on 14th March 1997 having additional security features. The watermark having the Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rs.50/- released during 1997



Rs.100 - Mahatma Gandhi Series 

A new series of Rs.100 banknotes of Mahatma Gandhi Series was issued on 1st June 1996 having additional security features. The watermark having the Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rs.100/- released during 1996





Rs.500 - Mahatma Gandhi Series

Rs.500/- released on 02-10-1987




Subsequently in 1997, the new design of Rs.500 notes in the Mahatma Gandhi series was introduced during October 1997, in which the Ashoka Pillar watermark was replaced with the Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rs.500/- released during 1997




Rs.1000 - Mahatma Gandhi Series
The Rs.1000 was released for the first time in the year 2000 having the Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi as the watermark.

Rs.1000/- released during 2000

Highlights of the prefix and serial number syntax of the current Mahatma Gandhi notes

Inset

The purpose for the use of an inset is two-fold: