Note of the Month: India 100 Rupees Commemorative

Posted on 1/20/2026

India Martyrs Day is held every January, marking the sacrifices of Gandhi and others.

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Country: India

Catalog Number: 70a

Date: ND (1969)

Denomination: 100 Rupees

Varieties: There are several varieties in the PMG Population Report: The lower-case letters 'a' and 'b' represent distinct signature combinations, while the letter 's' represents Specimens.

What makes it special? This note was issued for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, alongside 1, 2, 5 and 10 Rupee denominations. A staple on Indian banknotes today, Gandhi's image made its debut on currency with these notes. The 1 Rupee shows a bust of Gandhi on the obverse, while all the others show Gandhi seated and reading a book on the reverse. The religious retreat shown here is the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad in western India. Today, it is a national monument that includes a museum.

Did you know? India Martyrs Day is held annually on January 30, the day on which Gandhi was assassinated by an extremist in 1948. Gandhi led nonviolent resistance against Great Britain, which granted India independence in August 1947.

Total graded by PMG: As of mid-January 2026, the PMG Population Report includes 106 examples of Pick# 70a, 25 examples of Pick# 70b and six Specimens.

PMG median grade: PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ

PMG highest graded: Three examples of Pick# 70a are graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Sales highlight: A "Top Pop" example of Pick# 70a sold for €100 at a Crown Currency Auctions sale in November 2025.

PMG Registry: This note is part of the most popular India category in the PMG Registry, India, 1917-Date, Type Set, Issued Notes, where MKMITTAL79's top-ranked Mittal's Collection of India Complete Set 1917-Date has a Pick# 70 in PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ. The note is also part of the Commemorative Issues Set, 1969-Date, Issued Notes, Complete, Including Varieties category, where CKD's top-ranked Commemorative CKD has examples of both Pick# 70a and 70b.

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