Happy Birthday: Humble ₹1 note turns 100 year old
Synopsis
The first ₹ 1 currency was released in 1917. The note had the image of George V.
Amid all the hullabaloo regarding currency notes in the country, our very own humble ₹ 1 note celebrated a quiet birthday on 30 November.
The currency was born on 1917 when India was still under the colonial rule and the Great Britain along with its allies were fighting the First World War.
The first note released had the image of Emperor George V and since then it has changed its appearance four times.
The first modification was made in 1940, and the picture of George V was replaced with that of George VI, and after independence, the currency again came under change in 1949 when the Indian government put the motif of Ashoka emblem in place of British emperors. The next time the notes were printed was in 1994 and then again after almost 20 years in 2015.
However, the notes of ₹ 2 and ₹ 5 denominations were subsequently discontinued and were coinised.