India Announces New Rs 20 Coin With A One-Of-A-Kind Shape

The new 20-rupee coin has been announced nearly 10 years after the 10-rupee coin was introduced

The Finance Ministry on Wednesday announced a new coin for Rs 20 which will be shaped like a 27 mm "dodecagon" - a 12-sided polygon.

The Finance Ministry issued a notification announcing the new 20-rupee coin.

Unlike the circular 10-rupee coin, which is also 27 mm in diameter and has 100 serrations on its edge, the 20-rupee coin will not have any marks on its edge.

But like the 10-rupee coin, it will be two-toned. While the outer ring will be 65 per cent copper, 15 per cent zinc and 20 per nickel, the inner disc will be 75 per cent copper, 20 per cent zinc and five percent nickel.

However, there are no other cues on its design or appearance yet in the notification.

The Finance Ministry issued a notification announcing the new 20-rupee coin

Interestingly, it was nearly 10 years ago, in March 2009, that the Reserve Bank of India had issued the first 10-rupee coin.

Since then, there have been 13 iterations of the coin, often leading to confusion among the public.

People have claimed that some traders have refused some variants of the 10-rupee coin, assuming them to be fake.

Last year, the RBI issued a clarification saying that all 14 kinds of coins continue to be legal tender.

Unlike currency notes, coins have a longer life and hence, coins that are released over a long period continue to stay in circulation simultaneously, the RBI said.