Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 25 Paise 1972-1990, KM# 49, India, Republic
  • 25 Paise 1972-1990, KM# 49, India, Republic
Description

State Emblem of India types:
Type 1: Side lions toothless with 2 to 3 fur rows, short squat D in INDIA.
Type 2: Asoka lion pedestal more imposing, side lions with 3 or 4 fur rows, more elegant D in INDIA.
Type 3: Similar to Type I but with 2 teeth, 4 to 5 fur rows, smaller lion head.

KM# 49.1: Type 1, lion with whiskers, faces and wheel redesigned
KM# 49.2: Type 2, 9 mm between lions' nose tips, 15 mm across field
KM# 49.3: Type 2, 10mm between lions' nose tips, 16-16.3 mm across field, bull has three legs
KM# 49.4: Type 1, central lion with bull and horse re-engraved
KM# 49.5: Type 3
KM# 49.6: Type 2, 9,5 mm between lions' nose tips, bull has four legs
KM# 49.7: obverse of KM# 48.1 (lion face without whiskers) & reverse of KM# 49.1

1984-86 issues of KM# 49.1 have edge varieties: rounded (Indian blanks) or flat (Korean blanks).

Obverse

Depicts the State Emblem of India surrounded by the country name.

The State Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, preserved in the Sarnath Museum near Varanasi, India. A representation of Lion Capital of Ashoka was officially adopted on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic. The emblem appears on all Indian currency.

The actual Sarnath capital features four Asiatic lions standing back to back, symbolizing power, courage, confidence and pride, mounted on a circular base. At the bottom is a horse and a bull, and at its centre is a wheel (Dharma Chakra). The abacus is girded with a frieze of sculptures in high relief of The Lion of the North, The Horse of the West, The Bull of the South and The Elephant of the East, separated by intervening wheels, over a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.

In the emblem finally adopted, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus, with a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left.

भारत INDIA

Reverse

Denomination, date below. Mintmark (if any) under the date.

पैसे PAISE
25
1986

Edge
Characteristics
Material Cupronickel
Weight 2.5 g
Diameter 19 mm
Thickness 1.36 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Alt # KM# 49.1, KM# 49.2, KM# 49.3, KM# 49.4, KM# 49.5, KM# 49.6, KM# 49.7
Mints
Calcutta Mint (no mintmark)
Hyderabad Mint (★)
Mumbai Mint (B)
Mumbai Mint (♦)
Ottawa Mint

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