Definitive Coins - Two Rupees - Part 2

This post is organized in 2 parts. The first part details about the Cupro-Nickel issues. This post details about the other definitive issues.

Amongst the most controversial coins of the times, the Unity in Diversity theme was adopted for the Definitive coins. The Rs 2 coin was most widely available in circulation. The Rs 5 was struck with only one date of 2007 from Kolkata mint. Although the coins were struck only for a brief period of 3 years, there are quite a few die variations and other mysteries. The best being the Orientation of the Obverse with respect to the Reverse.

 This is one of the most controversial designs. The design was described as “Unity in Diversity”. The modern design was to be read as “Four heads sharing a common body”. It was to represent people from different parts / walks of life coming together and forming the Nation. The design was first introduced on the One Rupee coin in 2004, and later was taken to Rs 2 and Rs 10 as well. The last to be minted was on Rs 5 coin. Hindu groups saw this design as “Cross” and associated it with Christianity. This forced the Government to adopt new time tested floral designs.

For more details on the design and controversy; Read the article here and here.

This coinage has a strange story of Orientation, the coins of 2005 come in both orientation “+” and “X”. This is not just in one denomination, but across Rs 10 and Rs 1 as well.

Apart from this, it is apparent that 2 dies were created, and they have been used interchangeably on the 2005 and 2007 years coins from Kolkata mint.

Amongst the most ill-struck coins. Finding a good specimen is more difficult that an error prone one.

- Most die exhibit a weak strike
- Partial or missing “Jayate” in most coins
- Mild die clash visible on both side of quite a few coins

This is only design in the republic coinage that has the value written in words in both English; i.e. “Two in English” and “Do in Hindi” on the Reverse. The only other design where value is spelt out in Hindi are the 1964 designs after dropping of the word “Naya”.

Die Varieties:

Plenty of Die Varieties:

1. Big and Small Date from Mumbai Mint
2. There are 2 distinct Orientation of Obverse & Reverse used for the coins.
3. The Reverse itself has 2 varieties with Enlarged Cross; rarely used by Kolkata Mint on 2005 & 2007 definitives. The other Obverse has small cross. Even the Numeral 2 on the Obverse has 2 varieties.

The controversial “Unity in Diversity” design soon gave way to other designs. On the coins of 50 paise, Rs 1 and Rs 2, the Mudra design was adopted and on Rs 5 and Rs 10 the “Connectivity and IT” design was adopted. For more on these 3 designs, read the article “A Tale of 3 Designs”

The design on Rs 2 was Hand Gesture from Bharat Natyam, “Kartarimukha” meaning Arrow Shaft or Scissors.

Even this design survived only for a brief period from 2007 to 2011

The adoption of Rupee symbol meant new designs. The current design except for adoption of the Rupee symbol, the key design is pretty much the same as the older Cupro-Nickel coins, the flowery design. Apart for adoption of the symbol, the size of the coins was reduced to the size of the old Rs 1 coin. The edges have wide serrations on the edge.

The first coins introduced has a Thick Rupee symbol on this, this was minted by all the 4 mints in the first year, i.e. 2001. However a new die was introduced later in the same year, to make the Rupee symbol more thinner and this was used by Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad in the Year 2011. From 2012 onwards all mints used this new die. The same die variety also exist in the Rs 1 denomination.

Plain Edge Die Variety

Year	Mint
2011	Mumbai
2011	Kolkata
2013	Kolkata
2013	Hyderabad