Definitive Coins - One Rupee - Part 1

This topic is organized in multiple posts. The post deals about the cupro-nickel issues

Part One: This Post
Part Two: Steel Issue
Part Three: Steel Issues from New Floral Design


The Rs 1 struck in 1950 and 1954 are covered as part of Anna Series. This post covers the decimal series.

First Series 
In the Definitive Decimal series, initially the Rupee coin was not minted regularly. The Rupee notes were still popular in the initial days. The First design was similar to the earlier Pre-Decimal design. The coins were bigger in size and used the wheat corns on the front sides. This particular coin was minted only in 2 years, Year 1962 and 1970. The coin of 1970 is rare as its mintage is supposed to be low.

There is no Rs 1 coins struck from 1971 to 1974. However for the year 1971 to 1974 [and till 1979] these coins were struck in Proof and were part of the proof sets. Note there are quite a few fakes of this being sold in the market. Refer to the article on Fake Coins

Second Series 
The second design was from 1975 to 1982. It essentially was same in the previous design except for the metal used, to reduce the cost, the metal was changed from Pure Nickel to an alloy of Cupro-Nickel. Although the size was kept same, the weight of the coin got reduced to 8 grams. This was also the first time the Kolkata mint created a new Lion [Ashoka Emblem] master die for Reverse. There are quite a few years when the coins were minted using different Reverse dies giving rise to Die Varieties. There are also Reeded Edges reported for few years. 

Image Credits: Joeshp Kunnappally

Image Credits: Ponpandi Perumal

In what can be seen quality of minting, there is only one Edge Varities found in these coins. All coins have Security edges. It can also be a case of collectors not finding any other years yet.

Milled Edge
Year	Mint
1978	Mumbai
1979	Kolkata
1980	Kolkata
1981	Mumbai

Third Series 

As the cost of metal continued to increase, the size of the coins were reduced. The One rupee coin was made to 6 grams from 8 grams. The Key elements of the design remained same. An septagon ring was introduced on both side of the coin.The Die Varieties continued with quite a few variations, the Security edge gave way to reeded edge from 1988 before the design gave way to Steel in 1991. In these 3 years we have coins of both reeded and security edge.

KM#79.1 - Normal Lion with Security edge
KM#79.2 - Normal lion with Lion pedestal different, more detailed with Security edge
KM#79.3 - Lions' chest hairs Restyled with Security edge
KM#79.4 - Normal Lion with Reeded edge
KM#79.5 - Lions' chest hairs restyled with Reeded edge

Image Credits Ole Sjoelund

List of Reeded Edge Coins

Reeded Edge
Year	Mint
1988	Kolkata
1989	Mumbai
1989	Kolkata
1989	Hyderabad
1990	Kolkata
1990	Hyderabad
1991	Kolkata

List of Plain Edge Coins Reported

Plain Edge
Year	Mint
1990	Mumbai
1990	Kolkata