karmakerala.com news

From June 30, 2011 onwards 25 paise coins will be out of circulation and will not be accepted in any transactions. The rising inflation has caused the untimely exit of  the 25 paise coins, which incurs a higher manufacturing cost than its value and this will make 50 ps the smallest  denomination in India.

However it is interesting to note that Kerala had chucked out these small value coins a long time back. Board a bus  and the conductor conveniently forgets to return the 25 paise after taking the fare unless  you tender the exact fare.  Alms – seekers have long hiked their minimum expected dole to  50 paise. While revising bus fares also Kerala opted for a 50 Ps hike  conveniently forgetting the smaller denomination option.

The auto drivers would  let go a rupee from a passenger rather than accepting four 25 paise coins and if you only have smaller coins, then  be prepared to be at his wrath. Try telling him that the Reserve Bank still mints them, you will get nothing in  response except probably a blank stare or a wry smile that would convey his anguish  in having to ferry a passenger like you. However the irony is that 100 rupees worth 25 paise coins would fetch you 160 rupees as the steel can be melted out for other purposes!

As 25 paise gets ready to make a disgraceful exit of sorts, the old timers recall about the golden past where 25 paise would have fetched you a movie ticket , a brilliant shoe shine or even your favorite samosa among many other things in life! 25 paise was not a measly figure a few decades back but the inflation has indeed caused its death knell.

Now these dainty coins will make way into the coin boxes of the  numismatics and to the museum shelves , where these coins will be preserved  for posterity. For many of us, 25 paise  might not mean much but for the older generation, it would indeed evoke nostalgic memories  of a  prosperous past, and for the  generation- next, it will just be a hear say or a fable!