Did you know?
Turn over a note from the newer Mahatma Gandhi series and you'll find a heritage site: the Konark Sun Temple on ₹10, the Ellora Caves on ₹20, Hampi's stone chariot on ₹50 and the Sanchi Stupa on ₹200!
Newer ₹100, ₹200 and ₹500 notes have short slanting lines printed near their left and right edges. These lines help people who cannot see well to tell the notes apart.
Tilt a newer ₹100 or ₹500 note and watch the shiny thread on its front. Its colour changes from green to blue! This is one of many features that make notes hard to copy.
Try this: Coin Detective
Collect some ₹1, ₹2 and ₹5 coins. Look carefully just below the year on each coin, with a magnifying glass if you have one. A star means it was made in Hyderabad, a dot means Noida, and no mark at all usually means Kolkata. Mumbai coins may show a small diamond or the letter M. Make a tally chart. Which mint made most of your coins?
Go further: Hidden Secrets in Notes
Banknotes hide clever details that make them hard to fake. With a magnifying glass, look for tiny letters spelling 'RBI' and the note's value: this is called micro-lettering. Tilt a note slowly, and a hidden number appears in a small panel: that's a latent image. Hold it up to the light to find a faint picture in the blank space, called a watermark. Can you spot all three?