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Saturday 26 September 2020

1496) Mahatma Gandhi: 150th Birth Anniversary (1869-2019): A Silver Proof Coin issued on the "Father of the Nation" minted by the India Government Mint (IGM), Mumbai: Year of issue: 2019 ( Coin delivered in 09/2020):

1496) Mahatma Gandhi: 150th Birth Anniversary (1869-2019): A Silver Proof Coin issued on the "Father of the Nation" minted by the India Government Mint (IGM), Mumbai: Year of issue: 2019 ( Coin delivered in 09/2020):

I have yesterday received a Rs.150/- (Rupees One Hundred Fifty) Silver Coin from the India Government Mint (IGM), Mumbai which has been considerably delayed thanks to the Chinese Wuhan Virus pandemic worldwide.

It is my umpteenth coin (apart from stamps/special postal envelopes/covers etc.) on the "Father of the Indian Nation". This Proof Coin has a metallic composition of 99.9% Silver, as against the usual metallic composition of Quaternary Silver Coins (50% Silver, 40% Copper & 5% each of Nickel and Zinc). 

Proof Coins minted by the Mumbai Mint come with the "M" mint mark of the Mumbai Mint, as against the "diamond" mint mark for other issues by this mint.



The Cover of the Coin Album is titled "Mahatma Gandhi Ki 150vin Jayanti (1869-2019)" (in Hindi) and "150th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAHATMA GANDHI (1869-2019)" (in English).

In the centre is an image of Mahatma Gandhi sitting at his favourite spinning wheel ("Bardoli Charkha") weaving a home-spun thread, as he believed that every time the wheel is spun and an indigenous cloth is woven, it strikes a nail in the coffin of the British Raj administration and will lead to India's Independence.

At the bottom is mentioned "Smarak Sikka. COMMEMORATIVE COIN". At bottom right is mentioned "PROOF SET" (indicating that this coin is of the highest quality minted by the India Government Mint (IGM), Mumbai.

Pages 2 and 3 give the description of the Coin (in English) and the Obverse face of the Silver Rs.150/- Coin.

Page 2 of the Coin Album gives a brief description of the life and beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi:

" The life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi9 is a story of heroic effort to establish values at Truth and Non-Violence in human life. In pursuing this objective, Gandhiji became a Mahatma from a mere "Monya".

He became a messenger for the people of the world surrounded by fire of violence in the twentieth century. He also became "The Father of The Nation". He saved India and Britain from mutual hate and revenge by resorting to the experiment of Truth and Non-violence in India's struggle for freedom. This created an atmosphere which made it possible for other countries of Asia and Africa to free themselves without bloodshed from the hold of the European countries which had subdued them in the nineteenth century.

In South Africa, it was the Railway Ticket Collector who paved the way for the birth of a "Satyagrahi" and in India it was a poor peasint from Champaran - Rajkumar Shukla - who provided him a platform to test the power of "Satyagraha" on Indian soil. His campaign in favour of the non-cooperation movement brought about another change which identified his outward appearance with that of the humblest and lowliest of the land and he stuck to the loin cloth till he departed with the name of God on his lips.

Mahatma Gandhi's contribution to human  development is far too great and varied to have been forgotten or to be overlooked. The world today recognises him as a far more compelling social innovator than humanity ever realised".

Page 3 of the Coin Album shows the Obverse of the Rs.150/- Coin together with an image of Mahatma Gandhi.


The Obverse of the Rs.150/- Silver Coin at left gives the cuntry name "BHARAT" (in Hindi) and at right "INDIA" (in English).

In the top centre is the Lion Pillar Emblem/Capitol of Ashok, the legendary Ancient Indian "Samrat" (Emperor), which has been adopted by the Government of Indiaas its Emblem. Below the Emblem is inscribed "Satyamev Jayate" (in Hindi - meaning "Truth Always Prevails").

At lower bottom is the denomination of the Silver Coin - "150" preceded by the Rupee symbol.

Pages 4 & 5 of the Coin Album give the Reverse face of the Silver Rs.150/- Coin, as well as its specifications in English.

Page 4 of the Coin Album shows an image of the Reverse Face of the Coin, with an image of the Bardoli Charkha and Mahatma Gandhi's image in the background.

The Reverse face of the Rs.150/- Coin depicts a stylised image of an elderly Mahatma Gandhi, with his walking stick forming the numeral "1" and "50" being represented on his symbolic "Bardoli Charkha". The inscription in the centre of the coin reads - "150 YEARS OF CELEBRATING THE MAHATMA". 

The peripheral inscription reads - "150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAHATMA GANDHI" (in English) and "Mahatma Gandhi Ki 150Vin Jayanti" (in Hindi), "1869-2019".

The "M" mint mark of the Mumbai Mint reserved for Proof Coins is placed at the lower/bottom periphery.


Page 5 of the Coin Album gives a brief description of the specifications of this Silver Proof Coin:

Denomination of the Coin: ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY RUPEES; Shape: Circular; Diameter/Size: 44.0 mm; No. of Serrations: 200; Metal Composition: Pure Silver, Silver 99.9%.

Note: The mark "M" on the coin indicates that this is a proof coin struck at the I.G. Mint, Mumbai.

The Back Cover of the Coin Album gives a brief history of the India Government Mint, Mumbai and its product range.







Links to posts on Mahatma Gandhi on this Blog:




15) 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi: A set of six octagonal stamps of 2500 Paise (or Rs.25/-) each, issued by India Post on 02.10.2019: Octagonal Stamps have been issued for the first time by India Post



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