Mint History

Establishment of Mints in INDIA

East India Company set up the following three mints in the 17^th and 18^th century: -

1. Madras (now Chennai) Mint in 1640 A.D.

2. Bombay (now Mumbai) Mint in 1671 A.D.

3. Calcutta (now Kolkata) Mint in 1759 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.

Before 1947, (Pre-Partition of India). There were four mints, namely at Bombay, Calcutta, Lahore and Madras.

After 1947, (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.


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 1857-1858, 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. 

Right since India became Republic on 26th January 1950 coins were minted at various mints in the country. The mints at which these coins were minted were identified by the locations. These are as follows:

B-Bombay Mint | C-Calcutta Mint | H-Hyderabad Mint | N-Noida Mint

No coins were minted by Indian Government right after it's independence on August 15th 1947 until 1950. During the period from 1947-1950, the Government of India continued using the coins that were in circulation (for example) The coins that were minted by the British. The Indian Government minted coins of 1947 until 1950. On 26th January 1950, the scenario changed after India became Republic. In 1949, the Government Mint produced 14 types of pattern proof coins made of Nickel, Cupro-Nickel Alloy or Brass. Their mintage was very few and each of them is much valued.


Following are the Mint Mark on the coins where the Coins are manufactured, this mark are have different means, some of the known marks are listed below,

1. Mumbai Mint Mark

The Bombay (Now Mumbai) Mint has a Small  Diamond mint mark under Date of the Coin.  

Mumbai Mint

2. Kolkata (Calcutta) Mint Mark

The Calcutta Mint has No Mint Mark beneath the date of coin.

Kolkata Mint

3. Hyderabad Mint Mark

The Hyderabad Mint has Five Pointed Star Under the date of coin.

Also found as : 

• Split diamond below date
• Dot in diamond
• Star below date

Hyderabad Mint

4. Noida Mint Mark

The Noida Mint has a small or thick dot under the date of the Coin. Production Started in 1988.

Noida Mint

Foreign Mint Marks on Indian Coins

I. Seoul Mint (South Korea) - The Seoul mint has a “Five Pointed Star“under the date of the coin but  exactly below the Last Digits of dates 1997.

Seoul Mint

II. 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.

Taegu Mint (Korea)

III. Royal Mint London (UK) - The  Mint has a small dot(Diamond) under the date of the coin but exactly below the First Digit of Date 1985.

Royal Mint London (UK)

IV. Heaton Press Mint (Birmingham,U.K) - This Mint has Ornamental/ Decorated Letter “H” exactly below the last Digit of the date 1985.

Heaton Press Mint (UK)

V. Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa (Canada) - This Ottawa Mint has a “C” mint mark below the date of the coin.

Royal Canadian Mint

VI. Mexico City Mint (Oeschger Masdach and Co.) - The Mexico City Mint has an mint mark of “M” beneath “O” under the date of the coin.

Mexico City Mint

VII. Moscow Mint, Russia – This mint has a mint mark of “MMD” in oval below the date of the coin. example - Two rupees and Five rupees (2000 A.D)

Moscow Mint

VIII. Slovakia Kremnca Mint (Slovakia Republic) - Has mint mark of “MK in circle” below the date of the coin on rupee 1998-2000.

Slovakia Kremnca Mint

IX. Pretoria Mint (South Africa Mint) - Has  “M” under date in 1998 two rupee coin.

Pretoria Mint

X. Tower Mint, UK (Dominican Republic) - 
 

Tower Mint, U.K

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The monetary system of India proceeded as follows:

• 1835-1947
  • 3 Pies = 1 Pice
  • 4 Pice = 1 Anna
  • 16 Annas = 1 Rupee
  • 15 Rupees = 1 Mohur
• 1950-1957
  • 4 Pice = 1 Anna
  • 16 Annas = 1 Rupee
• 1957-1963
  • 100 Naye Paise = 1 Rupee
• 1964-
  • 100 Paise = 1 Rupee 
  
  
  

Before Independent Coins List

Half (½) Pice

Victoria Queen & Empress

 

1862, 1885, 1887, 1891, 1893, 1894,1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901

Edward VII

 

1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910

 

 

George V

 

1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922,1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936

 

 George VI

 

1939, 1940

1/12 Anna

Victoria Queen & Empress

 

1862, 1876, 1882, 1886, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1899, 1901

 

Edward VII King

 

1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910

 

 

George V

 

1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936

George VI King

 

1939, 1941

¼ Quarter Anna

Victoria Queen & Empress

 

1862, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901

 

Edward VII

 

1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910

George V

 

1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936

George VI

 

1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942

Other Coins

1 Pice – 1943 (Round Head), 1 Pice – 1944 (Lahore Mint), 1 Pice – 1945 (Lahore Mint)

East India Company

½ Anna-Year 1835, 1845
¼ Anna-Year 1857, 1858
½ Pice, Year 1853,
1/12 Anna, Year 1848

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