₹500 Notes with ‘Star’ Mark Are Genuine, Says Government Spokesperson
Shimla: The government has dismissed social media rumors claiming that ₹500 banknotes with a ‘star’ (*) symbol are counterfeit. A government spokesperson clarified that these notes are genuine and have been in circulation since December 2016.
“Some misleading messages on social media are falsely labeling ₹500 notes with a star mark as fake. We urge citizens not to fall for such misinformation. These notes are legally valid and were introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in December 2016,” the spokesperson stated.
The ₹500 banknotes, issued under the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, feature the inset letter ‘E’ and the signature of then-RBI Governor Dr. Urjit R. Patel.
The year of printing, ‘2016,’ and the Swachh Bharat logo are printed on the reverse. Notably, some of these notes include a star (*) in the number panel, placed between the prefix and the serial number.
The RBI clarified that packets containing such notes are issued in sets of 100 pieces, though not in serial order. Bands on these packets clearly indicate the presence of ‘star’ notes for easy identification.
The spokesperson explained that the star mark is not unique to ₹500 notes. “The RBI has been using the ‘star’ system in ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, and ₹100 denominations since 2006. This system is part of a replacement policy, where defective printed notes are replaced with star-marked notes to maintain the total count, without disrupting the serial sequence,” the official added.
The government reaffirmed that all ₹500 banknotes issued under the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series since November 8, 2016, remain legal tender. Citizens are advised to verify facts through official channels and avoid spreading unverified information online.
