15) Indian mints and their identification marks

Indian Mint and their  identification marks:

Coins issued under the Coinage Act 1835, by the East India Company and ,later, under the Regal issues by the British Government in India , were minted predominantly in two mints, one located at Calcutta (presently  called  Kolkata) and Bombay ( presently called Mumbai) . While the Bombay mint had the dot mint mark in its issues , the Calcutta mint issues were identified by having no mint marks.

 Obverse of  one of the first issues under the  Standard Coinage , showing the East India Company Standard/emblem.

Reverse of the coin as above, showing no mint mark. This coin was issued by the Calcutta mint for circulation.

Obverse of a silver coin issued under Edward VII.

Reverse of the coin as above issued by the Bombay mint in 1904, shown here as a specimen. Notice the “dot” mint mark on the stem, just above the bottom-most bud on the floral design on the right hand side of the coin.

A larger image of the dot mint mark of Bombay mint.

Reverse of a silver coin issued in 1907. The dot is missing here on the stem of the floral design, indicating that this is a Calcutta mint issue.

Obverse of a  silver coin issued during the reign of George V in 1913 shown here as a specimen.

Reverse of the coin as above,  showing the dot mint mark of Bombay mint below the lotus towards the bottom of the floral design on the coin.

 The dot mint mark in more detail.

This coin minted in 1919 shows no mint mark below the lotus as in the above coin. This was minted by the Calcutta mint.

Under George VI’s reign the same obverse designs were continued in silver coins with the same mint mark/no mint mark for Bombay and Calcutta mints respectively.

Under the first issues of Government of India coins, the Bombay mint was in the process of changing its mint mark from a “dot” to a “diamond”.

  Obverse of a one pice coin issued under the Government of India  in 1954.

Reverse of the coin as above, showing the diamond mint mark of Bombay mint, below the year of issue.

Reverse of a half-Rupee issue in 1954, by Calcutta mint showing  no mint mark below the year of issue.

Obverse of a one paisa coin issued by the Bombay mint in 1967, exhibiting the Diamond mint mark.

Obverse of a two paise coin issued by Calcutta mint in 1972, showing no mint mark.

Obverse of a one paise coin issued in 1967 which shows a diamond mint mark “with a hole”. This coin was issued by the Hyderabad mint, which has also started minting coins for India.

Present issues in circulation :

Coins presently in circulation are issued by four mints – Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Noida.

Their standard mint marks are as under, which are normally found under the year of issue, in the centre:

Kolkata: No mint mark.

Mumbai : A Diamond .

Hyderabad : A five-pointed star.

Noida : A dot

Reverse of a two rupee coin issued in 1982 exhibiting the Mumbai mint mark, below the year of issue.

Reverse of a five rupee coin issued in 1994, exhibiting the five pointed star of Hyderabad mint, below the year of issue.

Reverse of a five rupee coin issued in 1995, issued by Kolkata mint, showing no mint mark below the year of issue.

Reverse of a  two-rupee coin issued in 2008, having the “dot” mint mark of Noida mint, below the year of issue.

Incidentally, the Mumbai mint completed 150 years of its operations in 1980. The Posts & Telegraphs Deptt. brought our a beautiful 35 paise stamp commemorating the event. An image of the stamp in my collection is given below :

Some interesting links on Indian coins on this Blog:

1) Independent India issues: The evolution of the One Rupee Coin, the staedy building block of the Indian Monetary System

2) The Frozen Series and the early Indian Government issues

3) The Indian Coinage Act 1957 and the Decimal Series - 1957-64

4) The Aluminium Series 1964-1999

5) Independent India issues: The introduction and experiments of social themes on the two-rupee coins

6) Foreign mints which have minted coins for India and identification of their mint marks

7) Indian Mints & their mint marks

8) The introduction and stabilisation of the Five Rupee Coin in the Indian context

8) Independent India issues: 25 Paise Coins: the journey from usage over five decades to stepping into history

9) Fifty Paise Coin: The lowest denomination coin presently in circulation: Is it next on the chopping block?

10) Post Independence India Issues: Commemorating Sports in Indian Coinage

11) A Proof Coin set of Indian Coins from 1973, issued by the then Bombay Mint (present day Mumbai Mint), which includes Coins in the denominations of 1 Paise to 20 Rupees

 Links to other posts on Indian Currency/Banknote denominations on this blog:

1) Introduction of the new Rs.2000/- denomination in Indian Currency circulation wef 10.11.2016 

2) Classification and Valuation of Rs.1000/- denomination Banknotes 

 3) Classification and Valuation of Rs.500/- Banknotes

  4)Classification and Valuation of Rs.100/- Notes

5) Classification and Valuation of Rs.50/- Notes 

6) Classification and Valuation of Rs.20/- Notes 

7) Classification and Valuation of Rs.10/- Notes 

8) Classification and Valuation of Rs.5/- Notes 

9) Evolution and Valuation of one Rupee Banknotes in India

10) Did-you-know-series-1: Assists for identification of Currency Notes by visually challenged users 

11) Did-you-know-series-2-what-is-design-or focus of the picture at the back of circulating Currency Notes in India? 

12) Are you carrying a Fake Rs.500/- Banknote in your purse/wallet?: A comprehensive study 

13) Introduction of a Rs.200/- Banknote wef 25.08.2017: Reasons for introduction, Necessity & convenience to Users