British India Banknotes Catalog
The history of banknotes in British India is a fascinating journey through the monetary evolution of the subcontinent. From the first banknotes issued by the Bank of Bengal in 1770 to the modern banknotes of the Republic of India, paper money has witnessed important political, economic and cultural changes in the region.
Banknotes of British India
During the colonial period, British Indian banknotes reflected the influence of the British Empire. The first issues were made by presidential banks in Bengal, Bombay and Madras. In 1861, the Government of India took control of paper money issuance, introducing banknotes with designs that included portraits of British monarchs and Indian motifs. An important milestone was the creation of the Reserve Bank of India in 1935, which became the sole issuer of banknotes for all of British India.
Banknotes of modern India
After independence in 1947, India began issuing its own banknotes with designs celebrating its cultural heritage and national achievements. The current banknotes in circulation, known as the Mahatma Gandhi series, feature the portrait of the "Father of the Nation" on the obverse and various Indian landmarks on the reverse. In 2016, the Indian government implemented a controversial demonetization of the 500 and 1000 rupee banknotes, introducing new designs and denominations as part of its efforts to combat the shadow economy and counterfeiting.
If you are a collector, you can create your own collection and add your British India banknotes, generate your own free pdf catalog from your control panel thanks to our complete database and use all our banknote management tools. In addition, once entered you can start exchanges with collectors from all over the world easily and for free. There are no limits at Foronum!
📢 British India is a country that does not exist.This country is currently part of the old banknotes of India.
Valuable banknotes
The most valuable British India banknotes sought after by collectors are the following:
