New Delhi: This will get you a candy but nothing else. The last time you probably searched for it was to decide the toss in a cricket match. Nevertheless, despite the steady decline in its value, the 1 rupee remains the most widely circulated coin in the country, aided by the continued practice of odd number pricing. In fact, it has dominated coin circulation for over a decade. Data released by the RBI in its Annual Report 2025-26 shows that there were about 5,499 crore Rs 1 coins in circulation as of March 2026. The share of the denomination in the total number of coins in circulation was 38.4%, which includes 50 paise, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20.Its stake was 39.3% in March 2025. This trend is not new. RBI data shows that the share of Re 1 coin among all coins in circulation at the end of FY 2014, FY 2015 and FY 2016 was about 42%. About Rs 4,500 crore coins worth Rs 1 were in circulation in FY 2016. Bankers said Re 1 coins are rarely withdrawn from circulation, which explains their continued dominance in terms of quantity.
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“If one looks at the value of coins in circulation over time, the share of Rs 1 has declined. Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins now have a larger share,” said a bank official.While Rs 5 and Rs 10 accounted for only 23.5% of the total number of coins in circulation as of June 19, 2026, they represented 53.5% of the total value, which stood at Rs 22,209 crore. According to David Devashayam, chairman and managing director of Radiant Cash Management Services, the Rs 1 coin is being widely used in temples and in small value transactions. “Coins are also used for transportation and are especially prevalent in rural parts of India,” he said. Karthik Jonagadla, smallcase manager and MD & CEO, Quantes Research, said UPI has significantly reduced the need for cash in many parts of India, especially in cities, and for routine payments. However, this does not eliminate the need for coins. He said, “The Re 1 coin survives because it solves a very basic problem: how to dispose of the last rupee in small cash transactions. In grocery stores, buses, roadside vendors, rural markets and informal services, cash is still common and exact change still matters.”
