Prime Minister in his Man-ki-Baat on 25.08.2019 indicated that his government is going to celebrate 150th Gandhi birth-anniversary in a big way. It is evident that new commemorative coins are likely to be issued on 02.10.2019 along with a series of commemorative postal-stamps like were issued on Gandhi birth-centenary on 02.10.1969. But it should be ensured that commemoration of the occasion through coins should be for masses also like was on 02.10.1969 when silver-alloy coins of ten-rupee denomination were provided to general public on face-value right from date of release on 02.10.1969 like commemorative postal-stamps are sold.
It may be mentioned that later system of issue of commemorative coins on face-value was abolished and instead system of issuing only coin-sets at an exorbitant price that also through a cumbersome and unpractical system of advance-booking was introduced where also purpose of commemorating an occasion with coins was demolished with booked coin-sets reaching to aspirants after months of release of coins but only to VVIPs on the date of issue.
Silver-alloy coin-sets should have face-value about double the metal-value at time of release and must be available to general public at face-value through convenient sale-points like philatical-counters, all RBI offices and selected branches of private and public sector banks together with commemorative coins issued in other denominations right from date of release together with coin-sets to make masses part of commemoration through coins rather than only political rulers given coin-sets free-of-cost at the function organized to release commemorative coins.
Face-value of sliver-alloy coin to be issued on 02.10.2019 must not be unrealistic rupees 150, but can be realistic rupees 1000 so as to be issued on face-value. However to prevent fake and duplicate coins, these high-value silver-alloy coins can be packed in tamper-proof plastic-packs with serial-numbers. Likewise Coins with five-gms gold with face-value can also be issued at face-value of rupees 5000 in attractive tamperproof plastic-packs with serial numbers. All such steps will generate appreciable revenue-earning since such high-value coins never come in circulation. Sale of round-shaped silver or gold coins prepared in private sector should then be banned to further prevent manufacture of fake and duplicate coins.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL