Numismatics Collections

The Republic India's commemorative coinage has witnessed several unusual chapters where coins officially approved by the Government of India, and was gazette notified by the Ministry of Finance, were never made available to the collecting community or the general public. While most commemorative coins eventually reach collectors either through circulation or mint-issued proof and uncirculated sets, a handful of issues remain exceptions. These coins were either distributed only to dignitaries attending the inaugural function, issued in extremely limited quantities, or in one notable case, never released at all despite elaborate official preparations. As a result, these themes have become some of the most fascinating and least understood episodes in the history of Republic India commemorative coinage. One of the earliest examples is the Land Vital Resource ₹2 commemorative coin . Released on November 30, 1993, by the then Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Arvind Netam,...

The Government of India has taken the first formal step towards the possible introduction of polymer banknotes after approving the Reserve Bank of India's proposal to conduct field trials of polymer-based ₹10 and ₹20 notes. The Ministry of Finance has authorised the RBI to print one billion pieces (one hundred crore) each of the ₹10 and ₹20 polymer banknotes for pilot circulation across selected regions of the country. The approval was confirmed by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply to questions raised in the Lok Sabha. According to the government, the RBI intends to introduce the polymer banknotes on a trial basis to evaluate their performance under India's diverse climatic and circulation conditions. The pilot project will assess factors such as durability, resistance to wear and tear, public acceptance, machine compatibility, and overall cost-effectiveness before any decision is taken on a wider rollout. The RBI has maintained that...

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, has urged the Government of India to issue a ₹150 commemorative coin and a commemorative postage stamp to mark the 150th Prakat Din of Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj . Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj is one of Maharashtra's most revered saints, believed to have first appeared at Shegaon in Buldhana district on February 23, 1878. Revered for his teachings of devotion, compassion, humility, and selfless service, his life and miracles are recorded in the sacred text Shri Gajanan Vijay. Today, Shegaon is a major pilgrimage centre, while the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan carries forward his legacy through education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives. In separate letters addressed to Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Shri Jyot...

The India Government Mint, Kolkata has opened bookings for a few more commemorative coin sets that were originally issued on earlier occasions and are now being offered as reissues. Bookings commenced on July 23, 2026, and are subject to limited availability. The newly listed reissues include the ₹100 Proof Coin Set issued in honour of Sant Shiromani Jainacharya Vidyasagar Mahamuniraj , priced at ₹8,279 in Folder (Blister) packaging, and the ₹60 Proof Coin Set issued to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani , priced at ₹8,374 in Booklet packaging. It is worth noting that the MDF box packaging for both commemorative themes was never offered through the India Government Mint's official website . However, the Jainacharya Vidyasagar ji's coin was distributed in an MDF presentation box during its official release function through the proponent organisation. The BITS Pilani coin also appears to have been prepared in MDF box packaging, as the ...

The continued production of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav   definitive coin series in 2026 raises an important question about its relevance when India is already celebrating its 80th year of Independence. The definitive series comprising ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, and ₹20 denominations was released by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on June 6, 2022, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav  (AKAM) celebrations marking the 75th year of India's Independence. Although the series was officially released in 2022, the coins were minted bearing the years 2021 and 2022, reflecting the commencement of the nationwide celebrations. While the ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, and ₹20 coins entered circulation soon after their release, the ₹1 coin entered circulation only with the year 2023. Despite the passage of time, the same definitive series has continued to be minted and issued with the years 2024, 2025, and even 2026. Unlike commemorative coins , definitive coins are intended for long-term circulation and...

India has taken another significant step towards the possible introduction of polymer banknotes with Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL) issuing a Global Expression of Interest (EOI) on July, 17 2026 for the manufacture and supply of opacified polymer substrate sheets with advanced security features. The initiative is aimed at identifying experienced domestic and international manufacturers capable of producing high-security polymer substrates suitable for printing Indian banknotes. While this does not confirm the immediate introduction of polymer currency, it demonstrates that the groundwork for its adoption is now progressing in a structured manner. Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India and is under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Established in 1995 to augment the country's banknote printing capacity, BRBNMPL is responsible for the production ...