Mintage World, the world’s first online museum dedicated to coins, stamps, and banknotes, has released a 200-page coffee table book titled “Stamps, Coins, and Banknotes Issued During the Premiership of Narendra Modi” in New Delhi. The book, conceptualised and curated by Sushilkumar Agrawal, CEO of Mintage World, documents the official philatelic, numismatic, and currency issues released during the Prime Minister’s first term from 26 May 2014 to 30 May 2019. It offers a unique visual narrative of how major national initiatives were commemorated through stamps, coins, and banknotes produced by India’s postal and minting authorities.
What the Book Captures
The publication is divided into three sections: Philately (stamps), Numismatics (coins), and Notaphily (banknotes). Each section presents the collectibles in chronological order, showing how the government used these official media to promote its policy priorities and national campaigns.
Stamps: A Shift in Design Philosophy
The book’s philately section documents a notable shift in the approach of the Department of Posts, which comes under the Ministry of Communications. During this period, the department moved away from personality-centric stamp issues and instead focused on promoting Indian culture, arts, crafts, textiles, flora, and fauna. Many miniature sheets were issued in innovative shapes and sizes.
Key national campaigns featured on stamps include Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Digital India, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Startup India, Jan Dhan Yojana, the International Day of Yoga, Women Empowerment, and Viksit Bharat. The stamps were issued in various sizes, shapes, and colours, each carrying pictorial representations of the programmes they celebrated.
Coins: From India’s Four Mints
The numismatics section showcases both circulation and commemorative coins minted across India’s four government mints. These mints are now units of the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL), a Miniratna Category-I central public sector enterprise incorporated on 13 January 2006 under the Ministry of Finance.
| Mint | Location | Year Established | Notable Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| India Government Mint, Mumbai | Maharashtra | 1829 | Oldest among the four mints; also has a gold refining facility |
| India Government Mint, Kolkata | West Bengal | 1757 (first mint), 1952 (current Alipore facility) | Traces its origins to a mint established by the East India Company |
| India Government Mint, Hyderabad | Telangana | 1803 (as Royal Mint for Nizam), 1997 (current facility at Cherlapally) | Originally served the Nizam of Hyderabad |
| India Government Mint, Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 1 July 1988 | The only mint established after independence; first in India to mint stainless steel coins |
The coins documented in the book include special commemorative issues that marked major policy milestones and national achievements during the first Modi term.
Banknotes: The Currency Printing Network
The banknotes section covers currency notes produced at India’s four printing presses. Two presses are owned by the government through SPMCIL, while two are managed by the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) established on 3 February 1995.
| Press | Location | Operator | Year Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency Note Press (CNP) | Nashik, Maharashtra | SPMCIL | 1928 |
| Bank Note Press (BNP) | Dewas, Madhya Pradesh | SPMCIL | 1975 |
| BRBNMPL Press | Mysore, Karnataka | BRBNMPL (RBI subsidiary) | 1999 (full operations) |
| BRBNMPL Press | Salboni, West Bengal | BRBNMPL (RBI subsidiary) | 2000 |
Banknote printing in India started in 1928 with the establishment of the India Security Press at Nashik. Before that, Indian currency notes were printed by Thomas De La Rue Giori of the United Kingdom. The book documents the various denominations, design changes, and security features incorporated in the banknotes issued between 2014 and 2019.
Mintage World and Its Mission
Mintage World was launched on 23 April 2016 at the 25th Shukla Day Coin and Philately Fair at the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, by the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Founded by Sushilkumar Agrawal, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Ultra Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, it is the world’s first online museum dedicated to three collecting domains: numismatics (coins), philately (stamps), and notaphily (banknotes).
The platform hosts information on more than 60,000 coins, 1,500 banknotes, and 5,000 stamps from ancient to modern times, sourced from private collectors, public archives, and institutional repositories. The website required 35 technical experts and over one and a half years of digitisation work before its launch. It serves as a learning resource for students, scholars, collectors, and the general public.
The coffee table book is the third such publication from Mintage World. Its earlier titles include “Global Collectibles of Mahatma Gandhi through Bank Notes, Coins and Stamps”, which covers Gandhi-related issues from 144 countries, and “Endangered Parrots of the World on Stamps, Coins and Banknotes”.
A Sequel Covering the Second Term
Mintage World has announced that a second volume of the book is nearing completion. The sequel will cover stamps, coins, and banknotes issued during the Prime Minister’s second term from 2020 to 2024. The publisher plans to launch the second volume on 17 September 2026, which coincides with Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Together, the two volumes will provide a complete collectibles record of the ten years (2014 to 2024) during which Modi served as Prime Minister. This period makes him the longest-serving Prime Minister of India after Jawaharlal Nehru, having completed three consecutive terms.
Key Takeaways
- Mintage World, the world’s first online museum for coins, stamps, and banknotes, released a 200-page coffee table book documenting items issued during Narendra Modi’s first term as Prime Minister.
- The book covers stamps, coins, and banknotes issued between 26 May 2014 and 30 May 2019, divided into three sections: Philately, Numismatics, and Notaphily.
- Coins featured in the book were minted at India’s four government mints in Mumbai (est. 1829), Kolkata (1757/1952), Hyderabad (1803), and Noida (est. 1988).
- Banknotes were printed at four presses: Currency Note Press, Nashik (1928); Bank Note Press, Dewas (1975); and BRBNMPL presses in Mysore and Salboni.
- Mintage World was launched in April 2016 and hosts information on over 60,000 coins, 1,500 banknotes, and 5,000 stamps.
- A second volume covering the 2020 to 2024 term is expected to be released on 17 September 2026.
