Fact Check: RBI issuing ₹7 coin to honour Dhoni? Here’s the truth behind the viral claim

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD), one of India’s greatest cricketers and most successful captains, was known for his iconic No. 7 jersey, which he wore throughout his international career. In 2023, the BCCI honoured his incredible contribution to Indian cricket by retiring the No. 7 jersey, ensuring it will always be remembered as part of Dhoni’s legacy.

Against this backdrop, an image of ₹7 coins featuring Dhoni’s photo and name has been circulating on social media, claiming that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to issue these coins in honour of the former Indian captain.

A user on X shared the image of purported coins and wrote, “RBI will issue new 7 rupee coin in honour of Mahendra Singh Dhoni; 'Thala' shines once again, this is the reason.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter has verified the claim to be false, as the RBI has made no such announcement.

We started our investigation by reviewing the official website of the RBI but found no publication regarding the issuance of ₹7 coins in honour of MS Dhoni. We also examined the press release section of the website and found no such announcement as of November 14. Additionally, we checked the lists of coins currently in circulation and those no longer considered legal tender on the RBI website but found no mention of a ₹7 coin.

We also reviewed the list of commemorative coins on the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) website. Commemorative coins are issued to celebrate significant events, personalities, anniversaries, or milestones and often feature unique designs, making them highly collectable. However, we found no mention of a ₹7 coin issued in honour of MS Dhoni in this list either.

Upon conducting a reverse image search, we found the coins featuring MS Dhoni were originally posted by the Instagram account The Tathya on November 3. The post, accompanied by a lengthy caption, claimed that the RBI was issuing the coin to honour Dhoni. However, towards the end of the caption, it clarified that the post was intended as “satire” and created purely for “entertainment purposes”.

We also noted that the account’s bio explicitly mentions that its contents are satire.

On November 14, the PIB Fact Check handle on X posted the viral image of the alleged ₹7 coin, clarifying that it is fake. The post also stated that the Department of Economic Affairs has made no announcement about honouring MS Dhoni for his contributions to Indian cricket. (Archive)

Hence, we conclude that the claim of RBI issuing ₹7 coins to honour MS Dhoni for his contribution to Indian cricket is false.