Why are commemorative coins important?

         Commemorative coins are usually issued to pay respect to an important person, or to celebrate a special occasion.

         The first such coin in modern India was issued in 1964. It had a portrait of Jawaharlal Nehru, and was issued to commemorate his birth anniversary. Since then, many coins have been issued by our country for general circulation. Coins from 5 paise to Rs 150 have been made for commemoration. Most of them were not for circulation, but for preservation as specimens.

             In 1985, the country issued three coins dedicated to Indira Gandhi. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the International Labour Organization, India issued three coins on October 27th, 1994. In 1996, a commemorative coin was issued on the World Population Day.

            There were also coins minted to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the Reserve Bank, the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and the 1000th year of establishment of the Brihadeeswara Temple. In 2016, coins were issued to mark the 150th anniversary of the Allahabad High Court.