ESTABLISHMENT OF MINTS IN INDIA

EAST INDIA COMPANY set up the following three mints in the 17th and 18th century:-

(a) MADRAS MINT in 1640 A.D.

(b) BOMBAY MINT in 1671 A.D.

(c) CALCUTTA 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.

(i) Before1947, i.e. pre-partition of India. There were four mints, namely at Bombay, Calcutta, Lahore and Madras.

 

(ii) After 1947, i.e. 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.

MINT MARKS ON COINS 

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 1857-58, 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.

 Indian Mint Marks on Coins

(a) BOMBAY MINT (Mumbai)-The Bombay Mint has a small dot or diamond mint markunder Date of the Coin.

 

 

(b) CALCUTTA MINT (Kolkata)-The Calcutta Mint has No Mint Markbeneath the date of coin or an C incuseis seen at 6'o clock position in british india coins.    

(c) HYDERABAD MINT-The Hyderabad Mint has split diamond or a dot in diamond or five pointed STARUnder the date of coin.

Also found as :

Split diamond below date

Dot in diamond

Star below date

(d) LAHORE MINT- The Lahore Mint has a letter "L"mint mark under the date of the coin.Production started on 5th October 1943 A.D.

(e) NOIDA MINT- The Noida Mint has a small or thick dotunder the date of the Coin. Production Started in 1988.

Foreign Mint Marks on Indian Coins 

The government of India issued many coins minted by foreign mints during times of shortage of coins. Some coins were minted abroad and imported in 1857-58, 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. All the coins minted in foreign mints are shown below:

(a) PRETORIA MINT  (SOUTH AFRICA MINT Co. pvt ltd) - The Pretoria Mint  has  “M” under date in 1998 two rupee coin.

(b–1) SEOUL MINT (SOUTH KOREA) -The Seoul mint has a “Five Pointed Star"under the date of the coin but exactly below the first or Last Digits of dates 1985 and 1997.

 (b -2 ) 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 

(c) ROYAL MINT LONDON(Birmingham )  The  Mint has a small dot(Diamond) under the date of the coin but exactly below the First Digit of Date 1985

(d) HEATON PRESS MINT- This Mint has Ornamental/ Decorated Letter "H"under the last digit of the date 1985.

(e) ROYAL CANADIAN MINT, OTTAWA-This Ottawa Mint has a "C"mint mark under the date of the coin. 

(f) MEXICO MINT (OESCHGER MASDACH & Co.)-The Mexico City Mint has an mint mark of “M” beneath “O” under the date of the coin.

(g) MOSCOW MIN , Russia – This mint has a mint mark of “MMD” in oval below the date of the coin.eg 2 rupee & 5 rupee(2000 A.D) 

(h) SLOVAKIA KREMNCA MINT (SLOVAKIA REPUBLIC): Has mint mark of “MK in circle” below the date of the coin on rupee 1998-2000.

(i) TOWER MINT, UK ( DOMINICAN REPUBLIC):  “U” Shape sign below date