Definitions
Section 2 of the Coinage Act, 2011 deals with definitions. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "coin" means any coin which is made of any metal or any other material stamped by the Government or any other authority empowered by the Government in this behalf and which is a legal tender including commemorative coin and Government of Indi The Act came into force on 28 Mar 2012.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "coin" means any coin which is made of any metal or any other material stamped by the Government or any other authority empowered by the Government in this behalf and which is a legal tender including commemorative coin and Government of India one rupee note.
Explanation.--For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that a "coin" does not include the credit card, debit card, postal order and e-money issued by any bank, post office or financial institution;
(b) "commemorative coin" means any coin stamped by the Government or any other authority empowered by the Government in this behalf to commemorate any specific occasion or event and expressed in Indian currency;
(c) "deface" means any type of clipping, filing, stamping, or such other alteration of the surface or shape of a coin as is readily distinguishable from the effects or reasonable wear;
(d) "Government" means the Central Government;
(e) "issue" means to put a coin into circulation for use as money;
(f) "metal" means any metal, base metal, alloy, gold, silver or any other material which may be prescribed by the Government for the purpose of any coin;
(g) "Mint" means the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited formed and incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or any other organisation established by or under the authority of the Government to make a coin by stamping metal;
(h) "notification" means notification published in the Official Gazette;
(i) "per cent." means the percentage of metals prescribed for any coin;
(j) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(k) "remedy" means variation from the standard weight and fineness;
(l) "standard weight" means the weight prescribed for any coin.
Section 2, The Coinage Act, 2011 (Act 11 of 2011).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Nafis Qazi v. Union of India
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
DATE VERIFIED Final Order 2018-01-11 (order-12.pdf; Gita Mittal ACJ & C. Hari Shankar J.; get_order_ai_analysis DATE VERIFIED). Division Bench construed Coinage Act 2011 ss.2(a)–(c) (coin / commemorative coin / issuance), ss.3–4 and s.6: commemorative-coin issuance to mark significant occasions is within the Government’s statutory domain; mere religious symbols on commemorative coins do not, without discrimination/favoritism allegations, violate secularism; mandamus directing national policy/legislation on religious symbols on State property refused. RBI’s role under RBI Act s.22 is bank notes, not coin minting.
On this section: Leading Delhi HC construction of s.2 definitions (coin / commemorative coin / issuance) grounding statutory power to mint commemorative coins.
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Made under this section, and citing it
1 instrument states that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.
Questions about Section 2
What have the courts held on Section 2 of the Coinage Act?
Nafis Qazi v. Union of India (11 Jan 2018) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Leading Delhi HC construction of s.2 definitions (coin / commemorative coin / issuance) grounding statutory power to mint commemorative coins.
How do I find court cases under Section 2 of the Coinage Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Coinage Act 2011 2, section 2 Coinage Act 2011, section 2 of the Coinage Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Nafis Qazi v. Union of India (11 Jan 2018).
What should I read with Section 2 of the Coinage Act, and has it changed?
4 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there is one: most recently Coinage (Issue of Commemorative Coins on the Occasion of India’s G20 Presidency) Rules, 2023. (2023).
When did Section 2 of the Coinage Act come into force?
Section 2 of the Coinage Act, cited as Coinage Act 2011 2, came into force on 28 Mar 2012, having been enacted on 01 Sep 2011. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 17 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.