The Indian quarter is no more

25 paise - which can buy you nothing, doesn't have it's name on a currency anymore.

The chavanni, which was anyway disappearing from use everywhere is officially a collector's item.

The phase out also includes denominations of lower value (do they actually exist?).

July 1 2011 was the last day you could actually exchange them at banks or the RBI.

"Coins of denomination of 25 paise and below will cease to be legal tender from June 30, 2011. These will not be accepted for exchange at bank branches from July 1, 2011 onwards," the RBI stated recently.

December 2010 saw the decision to withdraw these coins from circulation from June 30.

No one really cares - much before inflation killed the quarter, there had been complaints to the RBI about non-acceptance of the coin everywhere, including shops, business establishments, utility services and even public sector organisations and government departments.

This led to a notice by the Central Bank, announcing the circulation and legal tender status of the coin.

In the past, the 1, 2, 3 and 5 paise value denomination coins have already been demonetised.

The latest 25 paise coin, weighing 2.83 grams, was made of ferritic stainless steel.

The RBI states tat cost benefit considerations led to the slow phase out of the 1, 2 and 3 paise coins in the 1970s.

Stainless steel coinage of 10, 25 and 50 paise, was introduced in 1988 and of one rupee in 1992.

Chavvani nostalgia suddenly became hot on Twitter yesterday.

“Goodbye, 25 paise. You are a relic of an era when things were simple and you meant something,” tweeted Anirudh Atyanand. “R.I.P-25 paise u are the one who provided me toffees!!” wrote Nishan.

Cyrus Broacha

I have many fond memories of 25 paise. Till 2007, it used to be my pocket money. In the mid 80s, I use to buy Milan Supari... it use to cost just 10 paise, so I use to buy two and even save 5 paisa. Then another memory is that of buying NP chewing gum, which came in a yellow pack and cost 25 paise.

There are still some for whom 25 paise means something

However, the Jain community is still holding on to it in spirit. "In our community, for every auspicious occasion we place Rs 1.25 in the puja thali. Every family keeps a good supply of 25 paise coins because we keep using them. These coins are more precious than any other denomination," said Hemanth Kumar, vice president, the Madras Coin Society. (MensXP.com)