Indian 5-paisa coin

The Indian five paise (Hindi: पाँच पैसे) (singular: Paisa), was a unit of currency equaling ​¹⁄₂₀ of the Indian rupee. The symbol for paisa is ().

Not to be confused with 5 naye paise (Indian coin).

Five paise

India
Value	5 (​^1⁄20₹)
Mass	1.03 g (15.9 gr)
Diameter	22 mm (0.87 in)
Thickness	1.5 mm (0.06 in)
Composition	Cupronickel Aluminium & Aluminium-magnesium
Years of minting	1964-1994
Mintage	4,924,011,110.[1][2][3]
Mint marks	♦ = Mumbai B = Mumbai proof issue * = Hyderabad No mark = Kolkata
Circulation	Demonetized
Catalog number	KM 17, KM 18.1 to 18.6 KM 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23
Obverse
Design	State Emblem of India with country name.
Reverse
Design	Face value and year.

History

Prior to 1957, Indian rupee was not decimalised and the rupee from 1835 to 1957 AD was further divided into 16 annas. Each anna was further divided to four Indian pices and each pice into three Indian pies till 1947 when the pie was demonetized. In 1955, India amended the "Indian Coinage Act" to adopt the metric system for coinage. Paisa coins were introduced in 1957, but from 1957 to 1964 the coin was called "Naya Paisa" (English: New Paisa. Plural: Naye paise). On 1 June 1964, the term "Naya" was dropped and the denomination was simply called "One paisa" (or paise for denomination greater than one). Paisa coins were issued as a part of "The Decimal Series".[4][5][6] Five paise coins were minted from 1964 to 1984.[1] 5 paise was equivalent to four-fifths of an anna (0.8 anna).

Mintage

Five paise coins were minted from 1961 to 1984 at the India Government Mints in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.[1][2][3] The coins were demonetized in 1994.[6]

Mint marks

Depending on the mint producing the coins, following mint marks appear:

Mint	Mark	Description	Comments
Hyderabad	☆	Five-pointed star
Kolkata		No mint-mark	Since this was the first Indian mint, coins minted in Kolkata don't carry a mark.[7]
Mumbai	♦	Diamond
	•	Small dot (solid)
	B	Letter B below year
	M	Letter M below year	On coins minted after 1996.
Noida	°	Small dot (hollow)

Total mintage

Total 4,924,011,110 coins were minted from 1964 to 1994.[1][2][3]

Composition

Five paise coins were minted from Cupronickel, Aluminium and Aluminium-magnesium in medallic alignment. The coins were rhombus shaped and had smooth edge.[1][2][3]

• 1964-1966: Cupronickel.
• 1967-1984: Aluminium.
• 1984-1994: Aluminium-magnesium.

Variants

5 paise coin variants (1964-1994).
Image		KM#	Technical parameters				Description			Year of minting		Comments
Obverse	Reverse		Weight	Diameter	Thickness	Metal	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	First	Last
		17	4.05 g	22 mm	2.2 mm	Cupronickel	Smooth	State Emblem of India & country name in Hindi and English.	Face-value, year and lettering रूपये का बीसवाँ भाग; (E: 20th part of a rupee)	1964	1966	[3][6]
		18.1	1.6 g			Aluminium				1967	1967	Number 5 on reverse smaller in size.[1]
		18.2	1.6 g							1967	1971	Arms type 1. Number 5 on reverse larger in size.[1]
		18.3	1.6 g							1967	1971	Arms type 2. Number 5 on reverse larger in size.[1]
		18.4	1.53 g		2.0 mm				Face-value, year and lettering.	1972	1972	Hindi lettering on reverse omitted.[1]
		18.5	1.53 g							1973	1978	Arms type 1. Number 5 on reverse larger in size.[1]
		18.6	1.53 g							1972	1984	Arms type 2. Number 5 on reverse larger in size.[1]
		23a	1.03 g		1.5 mm	Aluminium- magnesium				1984	1994	Lightest 5 paise coin.[4]

See also

• Indian paisa

References

1. "5 paisa variants". colnect.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
2. "5 paisa commemorative". colnect.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
3. "5 paisa cupronickle". colnect.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
4. "Coin details". India Numismatics. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
5. "Republic India Coinage". Reserve Bank of India. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
6. "History of Indian coins". India Numismatics. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
7. "Mint marks". indian-coins.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.