12-sided polygon: Government to roll out Rs. 20 coin with 'one of a kind' shape

The government on Wednesday announced a new Rs 20 coin, which will bear the shape of a 12-edged polygon. The Ministry of Finance in a notification released on Wednesday listed a few characteristics of the new coins set to be rolled out soon. 

The new coin will be similar to the 10 rupee coin in certain aspects - it will also be a two-toned coin with a 27 millimetres diameter.

The outer ring will be made of nickel brass (copper: 65 per cent, Zinc: 15 per cent and nickel: 20 per cent) while the centrepiece will be made of nickel brass (copper: 75 per cent, Zinc: 20 per cent and nickel: 5 per cent).

However, unlike the 10 rupee coin, there will be no serrations on the outer edge.

Earlier on January 12, 2019, a meeting was convened by the Ministry of Finance to finalize the New Series of prototypes of coins of Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20 in New Delhi. The meeting was convened in respect of Writ petitions No. 9728 of 2017 - Rohit Dandriyal vs UOI and No. 10727/2017 - ALL Indian Confederation of the Blind vs RBI and Anr. 

Furthermore, it requested the RBI to withdraw new 50/- rupee note currency without identification mark for visually impaired persons & also to stop the printing of such currency bank note which is without identification mark for visually impaired persons.

The coins have to be finalized by the Finance Ministry before the hearing on January 21, 2019, in the Delhi High Court.

Read the statement here.

Earlier, PM Narendra Modi had released a new 100-rupee coin commemorating former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a day before the Bharat Ratna's birth anniversary. The coin weighing 35 grams, has the portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee with his name inscribed in the Devanagari script as well as English on one side.