5 Rupees - Circulation Commemorative - Part 3 - CuproNickel and Stainless Steel

The Link to All Artices is here


This is part of Commemorative Coins of Denomination 6;
Lion Varieties in Rs 5
Part 1 - Cupro Nickel Big Coins
Part 2 - Cupro Nickel Small Coins
Part 3 - Cupro Nickel and Stainless Steel
Part 4 - Nickel Brass
Part 5 - Nickel Brass with Rupee Symbol
Part 6 - Nickel Brass with Rupee Symbol Continued



The Years 2004 to 2008 saw the Cupro-Nickel being replaced with Stainless Steel as the metal. As the decision was being slowly implemented, there were quite a few issues in that period that were struck in Cupro-Nickel as well as Steel. The Proof & UNC set from mint however continued to have the Cupro-Nickel coins. There are quite a few varieties where by dies used to strike Cupro-Nickel coins were used to strike Steel Coins. 75 Years of Dandi March has quite a few varieties that has almost every possible combinations. In quite a few issues, the mintage of Cupro-Nickel coins was very low and hence these have become rare. In quite a few cases, its not known if the Cupro-Nickel was struck for circulation or not.
In what was supposed to be beginning with Shaheed Bhagat Singh around 2009 the coins were struck only in Steel even in Proof & UNC set. The circulation coin itself was released much later in 2012. However the metal composition was quickly changed to Nickel-Brass as there were reports that Steel Coins were being melted and used to make blades.



2004 Lal Bahadur Shastri
The 5 Rupees, 2004 Lal Bahadur Shastri, was a freedom fighter and 2nd Prime minister of India. He is known for his slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan". The year 2004 marks his Birth centenary. He is the only Prime Minister to have died overseas. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue

Mint:Kolkata
Reverse:
Bust of Lal Bahadur Shastri
Date 1904 – 2004 Below
Legend Lal Bahadur Shastri Birth Centenary.

Edge Variety:
Also available in Reeded edge

Stainless Steel Issue

Mint: Kolkata, Hyderabad
Die Variety:
The initial steel coins have high relief indicating the user of Proof [or dies used for Cupro-Nickel] strikes. The Obverse is also Type D Die with rounded 5.
Edge Variety:

The Hyderabad & Kolkata Mint also come in Plain Edge.
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2004 75 Years of Dandi March
The 5 Rupees, 2004 75 Years of Dandi March, depicts Mahatma Gandhi with followers marching to Dandi for Salt Satyagraha. This was an important event during the struggle for Independence. It triggered the wider Civil Disobedience Movement. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue & Stainless Steel Issue




Note: Notice the design difference in the Obverse of Cupro-Nickel and Stainless Steel. The flowery design present in the Obverse of the Cupro-Nickel issue is not present in the Stainless steel issue.

Mint: Mumbai
Reverse:
Scene depicting Mahatma Gandhi with followers marching to Dandi
Date 1930 - 2005 Below. Mint mark below “-“ of date.

Legend 75 Years of Dandi March

Die Variety [Steel]:
The Obverse [Type D] as used in the earlier Cupro-Nickel coins was used. Quite a few including SCWC call this a Mule [KM#A361], in my Opinion its just a die variety.
There are various die parings that are termed as Clear or Dull dies in use.
Edge Variety [Steel]:

Also available in Plain Edge
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2006 Mahatma Basaweshwar
The 5 Rupees, 2006 Mahatma Basaweshwar, was release without any occasion  It was more to commemorate forgotten leaders. Mahatma Basaweshwar was a Prince, philosopher and a social reformer. Hi Created Vachana Sahitya. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue

Special Acknowledgements: kishoretkm for gifting me the coin with 'M' mark.

Notes: The Mahatma Basaveswara coin is amongst the few that do not have any date on the coin.

Mints: Mumbai with Diamond as well as M Mark.
Reverse:
Bust of Mahatma Basaveshwara.
Date None. Mint Mark below “_” in legend
Legend; Mahatma Basaveshwara in English and महात्मा बसवेश्वर in Hindi. It also says “Bhakti” , “Kayak”, “Dasoha” “Samata” in Hindi, this is not written in English. Amongst the few coins where the legend is not exactly / equivalent in Hindi & English.
The word “Bhakti” means devotion, “Dasoha” means helping the poor, “Samata” means sameness.

There were quite a few coins with 'M' mark released by Mumbai mint possibly to save to die / time / cost. These coins were again released in bulk in 2013 when the stocks were being cleared. The price which was in excess of Rs 200 came crashing down to Rs 15


Stainless Steel Issue

Note: Notice the design difference in the Obverse of Cupro-Nickel and Stainless Steel. The flowery design present in the Obverse of the Cupro-Nickel issue is not present in the Stainless steel issue.

Die Variety:
The Obverse [Type D] as used in the earlier Cupro-Nickel coins was used.
Edge Variety:
There is also Plain edge variety available with Type F die.
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2006 Jagat Guru Shree Narayan Gurudev
The 5 Rupees, 2006 Jagat Guru Shree Narayan Gurudev, was released on the 150th Birth Centenary and depicts the bust of Gurudev. He was a social reformer who transformed the Kerala Society. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue

Stainless Steel Issue

Mint: Mumbai
Reverse:
Bust of Narayana Gurudev
Date None. Mint mark at 6’ O Clock in legend.
Legend Jagath Guru Sree Narayana Gurudev. The word “Jagath” means world.
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2006 State Bank of India
The 5 Rupees, 2006 State Bank of India, shows the Logo of SBI. The year 2006 marks the 200 years of SBI. Its the oldest Bank of Indian subcontinent. The mint details and Description are;


Mint: Kolkata, Hyderabad
Reverse:
Logo of SBI
Date 1806 - 2006 on sides. Mint mark below Logo.
Legend State Bank of India

Die Variety:
A die Variety where the Proof Dies were used to strike Steel circulation coins are also available from Kolkata Mint
Edge Variety:
Plain Edge is also available from Kolkata Mint instead of Security edge.
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2006 50 Years of ONGC
The 5 Rupees, 2006 50 Years of ONGC, depicts ONGC Above, Below Lgog of ONCG inside 0 of Numeral 50. The mint details and Description are;
Cupro-Nickel Issue
Mint: Kolkata

Stainless Steel Issue

Mint: Kolkata, Hyderabad
Reverse:
ONGC Above; Below Logo of ONGC inside 0 of Numeral 50
Date 1956 - 2006 Below. Mint Mark bleow “-“ of date.

Legend Celebrating India
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2006 Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilakji
The 5 Rupees, 2006 Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilakji, was issued to on the 150th Anniversary of Tilak. The coin was withdrawan from circulation after members of Tilak family objected to "Ji" being added to Tilak. The key contention was "Ji" was not used to Gandhi and Nehru earlier and there was no need to use it with Tialk for the first time. The Shiv Sena was also against use of the term as its a Hindi term and does not go well with Maharastrian leader. The mint details and Description are;

Mint: Mumbai
Reverse:
Bust of Balgangadar Tilak
Date Below the Legend. Mint mark between date.
Legend 150th Birth Anniversary of Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilak. Note the additon of ji in Hindi

Related News Paper Article here
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2007 Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilak
The 5 Rupees, 2007, Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilak, was a teacher, reformer and freedom fighter. He is know for his famous quote "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it". The coin was release on 150 year of Birth Anniversary. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue

Stainless Steel Issue

Mint: Mumbai, M-Mark
Obverse:
Bust of Balgangadar Tilak
Date below the Legend. Mint mark between date.

Legend 150th Birth Anniversary of Lokamanya Balgangadar Tilak
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2007 150 Years of War of Independence
The 5 Rupees, 2007 150 Years of War of Independence, shows war of freedom with portraits of freedom fighters. The 1957 Sepoy Mutiny plays an important role in Freedom Struggle. The mint details and Description are;

Cupro Nickel Issue

Stainless Steel Issue:



Mint: Mumbai
Reverse:
Combined portrait of General Tatia Tope on left side, Emperor Bahadur Shah II on the right side and at the centre the Warrior Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi in the battlefield, flanked on the left periphery
Date 1857 - 2007 Below. Mint mark below “-“ of date.
Legend 150 Years - The First War of Independence in English and “150 Varsh – Pratham Swatantra Sangram” in Hindi.

Die Variety:
The Stainless Steel commercial strikes had a low relief. This resulted in loss of few details. The Bags shown below the soldiers is in the Proof / UNC Strike dies can be easily seen as 4. Where as in the commercial strikes, its see as 3. There are some commercial strikes with 4 bags.
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2008 Khadi and Village Industries
The 5 Rupees, 2008 Khadi and Village Industries, shows the Bust of Gandhi in Center with a lady with charaka and a village scene. The year 2008 marks the 50 Years of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. The mint details and Description are;

Mint: Mumbai, “M” mark
Obverse:
Bust of Mahatma in center with a lady with charaka and a village scene
Date below the Legend. Mint mark between date.

Legend 50 Years Khadi and Village Industries Commission

Die Variety: Although there are no die varieties, there is still interesting varieties like the Die Clog [or Greased Dies] in the letters “Village”. In some one of the “L” looks like “I” and in some both. The Hindi legend also has additional “Matra”. The “Aur” looks like “Auray”; this is more like a damaged die.

Edge Variety: Some collectors have reported plain edge.





20 comments:

  1. sir, is the ONGC cupro-nickel coin available in circulation?most sites say that this coin was not issued for circulation at all.only at your site, I have seen the image of this coin.how did you get it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ONGC, KVIC cupro coins were put into circulation, a very small quantity. I know collectors who have got this in circulation. Very difficult. I got this from a dealer.

      Delete
  2. sir are you sure that mahatma basaveshwara cupro-nickel coins are available in plenty?I have hardly seen any in circulation

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right. Quite a few cupro nickel of 2005-2007 were put in limited quantities. I have not found a single cupro nickel of these period in circulation. The Basaveshwara coins were hoarded,and price went up to Rs 200. Then RBI dumped all older issue in market and large dealers also dumped stock. The price came down to Rs 10-15. Quite a few collectors got it in circulation including M mark.

      Delete
  3. Sir which coin is rare?the kvic coin with capital L or small l ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The KVIC will die clog looking like l is relatively rare compared to L.

      Delete
  4. sir is the mintage of KVIC stainless steel coin also very low?even after a lot of search I was still not able to find it in circulation .Getting the cu.ni version from circulation is an even distant dream

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes the Mintage of KVIC and 150 years war is very low ... Unless you were in Mumbai Fort area in 2009 the chances of getting one are remote.

      Delete
  5. sir how do you know that SBI cu.ni version was put into circulation?I did not see any such RBI currency press release.

    ReplyDelete
  6. sir which among the following coins is the rarest?ONGC copper nickel,SBI coppernickel,and CROP SCIENCE CONGRESS?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rare one in my view is SBI followed by ONGC

      Delete
  7. but sir why is the CROP SCIENCE CONGRESS coin more expensive than even the proof sets of ONGC and SBI?
    were the sets available in plenty?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Demand supply and hoarding. There is hype around crop science and every collector wants it. So the price is high.

      Delete
  8. Sir do you personally have first war of independence copper nickel circulation coin?where did you get it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I do have the coin in my collection. Got it from a dealer in coin exhibition

      Delete
  9. 1907-2007shaheed bhagat singh FSS coin is not listed

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lalbhadur shastra (S.S) issue comes with type- H lion

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello sir .I wanted to know how many 5rs copper nikkal khadi village coins were minted by RBI ?

    ReplyDelete