The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has addressed the recent discussions on social media platforms about the validity of currency notes with a Star (*) symbol inserted in the number panel. The central bank clarified that such notes are indeed valid and hold the same value as any other legal banknote.
Explanation by RBI
According to the RBI’s statement dated July 27, the Star symbol is utilized as an identifier on currency notes that serve as replacements for defectively printed banknotes in a bundle of 100 pieces of serially numbered banknotes. In essence, a banknote featuring the Star symbol in the number panel is no different from any other legal banknote, except for the additional symbol placed between the prefix and the serial number.
The Star (*) symbol is intended solely for the purpose of indicating that the particular banknote is a replaced or reprinted version of the original. Apart from this distinction, the note has the same value and acceptance as any other valid legal tender.
