Deciphering Indian mint marks is one of the most exciting aspects of Indian coin collecting. A coin struck in 1982 or 1993 might be worth face value from one mint, but worth thousands of rupees if struck with a scarce mint mark from another facility.
Decoding Republic of India Mint Marks
- Mumbai (Bombay): Marked by a small diamond (♦) symbol under the date, or occasionally a letter 'B' or 'M' on proof sets.
- Kolkata (Calcutta): Features no mint mark below the date (smooth, blank field).
- Hyderabad: Stamped with a five-pointed star (★), or an open diamond on older pre-1968 issues.
- Noida: Features a solid, distinct round dot (•) under the date.
- Foreign Mints: During peak demand, India contracted foreign mints: Seoul (star under first date digit), Ottawa (C), Birmingham (H), Pretoria (M in oval), and Mexico City (MO mark).