India to honor Nehru, first prime minister, with coin in 2015

By Jeff Starck

Published: Mar 25, 2015, 4 AM

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru receiving U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Parliament House, before the President addressed a joint session of Indian Parliament in 1959.

Image courtesy of the United States Embassy in New Delhi, India.

Prime Minister Nehru was honored on coins in 1964 after his death and in 1980 for his birth anniversary. These are two of the five coins previously issued in India for Nehru.

Images courtesy of worldcoingallery.com.

The Republic of India’s first prime minister will be honored with a circulating commemorative 5-rupee coin in 2015.

The 2014-dated coin marks the 125th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

The Reserve Bank of India announced March 20 that it would release the coin into circulation “shortly.”

The copper-nickel coin is legal tender and will join several other designs in that denomination.

In addition, India will issue a .500 fine silver 125-rupee coin for collectors, according to an announcement in the Gazette of the Government of India, published by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs.

The new coins join several others honoring the man, issued throughout India’s modern history.

In 1964, two different 50-paise coins (with certain text in either English or Hindi) were issued along with a 1 rupee coin marking Nehru’s May 27, 1964, death.

In 1989, on his birth anniversary, India issued 1- and 5-rupee coins for the centennial.

The coins being issued in 2015 feature the Lion Pillar of Ashoka on the obverse, with a portrait of Nehru and the dual dates 1889-2014 on the reverse.

The circulating 5-rupee coin weighs 6 grams and measures 23 millimeters in diameter.

The 125-rupee coin weighs 35 grams and measures 44 millimeters in diameter.

More from CoinWorld.com:

Q. David Bowers: Kennedy half dollar came along amid circulating coin shortage in U.S.

United States Mint unveils 2015 First Spouse gold coin designs

Low-mintage 'King of Morgan dollars' example sells for nearly $40,000

$60,000 gold coin is lost at ANA National Money Show, found and returned within hours

Casino owner altered surfaces of coins to stem exodus as souvenirs

Please sign in or join to share your thoughts on this story.

Keep up with all of CoinWorld.com's news and insights by signing up for our free eNewsletters, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Twitter. We're also on Instagram!